If you’re a bit tired of traditional salads, why not try transforming this dish with an unusual and delicious ingredient? With 3 ways to make pesto salad right here, TasteVN is sure your diet menu will become more appealing! Let’s get cooking!
1. Traditional Pesto Sauce
Preparation
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Traditional Pesto Sauce For 150ml of pesto sauce
Basil leaves 60 g Shelled pine nuts 30 g Garlic 5 g Parmesan cheese powder 30 g Ice water 20 g Pepper 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon
How to choose shelled pine nuts
- The longer pine nuts, the more uniform the seeds.
- Pine nuts should have a creamy white color (for fresh shelled nuts) or a light yellow color (for dried pine nuts), and when tasted, they will have a very appealing rich flavor.
- Avoid choosing nuts that are shriveled or have pests, mold, as these may be old nuts and will not taste good anymore.
- You can find shelled pine nuts at stores selling grains, dried nuts, or reputable supermarkets and grocery stores.
Tools needed
How to make traditional Pesto Sauce
-
Make the sauce
Add 60g of basil leaves, 30g of pine nuts, 5g of garlic, 30g of Parmesan cheese, and 2 ice cubes into the blender.
Blend the mixture for about 2 minutes, then add 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and continue blending for another 2 minutes until you achieve a smooth and fine sauce mixture.
-
Product
The traditional Pesto sauce has a beautiful color and a fragrant aroma characteristic of basil leaves. When tasted, you will feel the creaminess of the cheese and the nutty flavor of the pine nuts.
This Pesto sauce can be used to mix with pasta, spread on bread, or dip with chicken or fish, all are delicious!
2. Chicken breast pesto salad
Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
25 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Chicken Breast Pesto Salad Serves 2
Chicken breast 150 gr Pine nuts 15 gr Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon (Italian Seasoning) Olive oil 1 tablespoon Bacon fat 1 tablespoon (can be replaced with cooking oil/olive oil/butter) Lettuce 100 gr (optional) Cherry tomatoes 50 gr Bocconcini cheese 100 gr Pesto sauce 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons Salt A little
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh chicken breast
- To prepare a delicious dish, you should choose chicken breast pieces with white skin, as these are from larger chickens which have tastier and firmer meat; younger chickens tend to have soft meat.
- If you buy skinless chicken breast, observe the layer of fat on the chicken. Choose the part with white fat for tastier meat.
- Choose pieces of breast with fewer stripes in the meat fibers. The more stripes there are, the less fat and protein there is, and moreover, these stripes will make it difficult for the chicken to absorb seasonings and sauces during cooking.
How to choose fresh tomatoes
- Choose tomatoes with red, plump skin; if you look closely, you will see tiny speckles in the flesh through the skin.
- When you touch the tomato, it should feel slightly soft, and when cut in half, the seeds should be white-yellow, with soft, ripe red flesh that is slightly powdery.
- Ripe tomatoes will have fresh, green stems, and when you gently pull the stem, it should still be firmly attached to the fruit.
How to prepare Chicken breast pesto salad
-
Prepare the ingredients
Wash the cherry tomatoes, drain, and cut them in half.
Wash the lettuce, then use scissors to cut it into small pieces.
Soak the chicken breast in diluted salt water for about 7 – 10 minutes, using your hands to gently massage to clean the chicken.
Then, in a bowl, add a little salt, 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the chicken breast. Mix well to let the chicken absorb the seasoning and marinate for 15 minutes.
-
Toast the pine nuts
Place a pan on the stove, add 15g of pine nuts and toast over low heat for 5 – 10 minutes or until the pine nuts turn golden brown.
Tip: You can substitute with other types of nuts such as walnuts, cashews,… -
Pan-sear the chicken breast
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
When the fat melts, add the chicken to the pan and sear until both sides are evenly cooked.
After frying, let the chicken cool for 5 minutes, then drain the juices into a bowl.
Finally, cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
Note: Do not fry the chicken too long as it will make the chicken dry and lose moisture inside. -
Mixing the salad
Add 2 tablespoons of pesto sauce, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, and chicken broth into a bowl and mix well.
In a large bowl, combine: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, Bocconcini cheese, chicken, and toasted pine nuts. Then, drizzle pesto sauce over the top, mix well, and enjoy!
-
The finished product
The salad upon completion is incredibly eye-catching with various colors, crunchy and tangy vegetables, rich cheese, and tender chicken blended with flavorful pesto sauce.
3. Vegetable pesto salad
Preparation
30 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for vegetable pesto salad For 3 people
Zucchini 2 pieces Yellow zucchini 2 pieces Carrots 2 pieces Cherry tomatoes 300 gr Seasoning A little (salt/pepper) Pesto sauce 3 tablespoons Olive oil 1 tablespoon
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose good zucchini
- Choose zucchinis that feel firm, not soft or scratched, have a straight shape, and still have their stems.
- Choose those that are medium-sized, with skin that is not too green as these are usually the standard ones, not too young and not too old.
How to choose good carrots
- It is advisable to choose carrots that are bright in color, deep orange, have smooth skin, green leaves, and are not bruised.
- Additionally, choose those that are still firm and of medium size.
- Avoid choosing those that have wilted leaves, cracks on the body, or spots, and have green tops.
See more
- 8 benefits of zucchini for human health and some dishes from zucchini
- 10 benefits of carrots, how to choose and delicious dishes from carrots
How to make Vegetable Pesto Salad
-
Prepare the vegetables
Wash the green zucchini and yellow zucchini thoroughly. Use a knife to cut off both ends and then slice the zucchini lengthwise into long, thin strips.
Peel the carrot, wash it clean, then shred it into long thin strips.
-
Squash the tomatoes
Evenly arrange the cherry tomatoes on the bottom of a plate, then use the bottom of another plate to press down on them. After that, use a knife to cut across the cherry tomatoes.
Tip: You can cut each tomato individually; however, using this method will help you cut faster and save time. -
Mix salad
Add zucchini, yellow zucchini, carrot, cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a little salt and pepper into a bowl.
Then, evenly drizzle pesto sauce on top, mix well and enjoy.
-
Final product
The salad after completion is very eye-catching, the fresh vegetables are crunchy, sweet and cool, slightly sour with the characteristic fragrant pesto sauce.
4. Pesto potato salad
Preparation
40 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Potato Pesto Salad Serves 5
Baby potatoes 900 gr (or large potatoes) Olive oil 2 tablespoons Salt 2 teaspoons Pepper 1/2 teaspoon Pesto sauce 120 gr Peas 72 gr Lemon 1 fruit (only the zest) Mint leaves 7 gr (chopped) Grated Parmesan cheese a little
How to Choose Good Potatoes
- Choose potatoes that are firm, heavy, intact, and have a smooth skin surface.
- Yellow potatoes will be tastier and sweeter than those with a slightly white color.
- Avoid potatoes that are wrinkled, soft to the touch, have black spots, are rotten, or leaking.
- Absolutely do not choose those with green skin or sprouting, as they are extremely dangerous to health.
Tools Needed
Oven, bowl, mixing spoon
How to Make Potato Pesto Salad
-
Prepare and Marinate Potatoes
Wash the potatoes thoroughly, then place them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
Toss well to ensure the potatoes absorb the seasoning.
Tip: You can peel the potatoes or not, depending on your preference. -
Baked Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Then, place the potatoes in to bake for 30 minutes.
-
Prepare Peas
Wash the peas, put them in a pot to boil until cooked, then remove and let drain.
-
Mix Salad
In a bowl, add: baked potatoes, peas, pesto sauce, grated lemon zest, chopped mint leaves, and a bit of grated Parmesan cheese.
Mix well so that all ingredients are combined and enjoy!
-
Final Product
Potato salad has a creamy flavor from potatoes and peas, interwoven with a refreshing hint from mint leaves, and a unique rich taste from pesto sauce. All of these blend together to create an incredibly delicious and nutritious salad.
Wishing you success in making these simple and incredibly delicious 3 pesto salad recipes!
*Source for the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Headbanger’s Kitchen, Tasty, and Kevin Is Cooking
