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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Jul 1, 2020 · Modified: Feb 20, 2022 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income via ads.

    Four P Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Four P Salad is a delicious, fresh pesto pasta salad that's ready in a snap. Pasta, pesto sauce, frozen peas and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. That's it. The result is a zesty, aromatic pasta salad that's a combination of sweet and savory and will have everyone at the table asking for more.

    Note: Some of the links on this page are paid links, Amazon Associates. This means I make a small commission when you click and shop. Your cost is always the same and I only link to and recommend products or ingredients that I use.

    Pesto pasta salad being served from a bowl with parmesan cheese on top
    Look at those sweet little peas peeking out!

    Ingredients to Have on Hand

    • pasta
    • peas
    • pesto sauce
    • parmesan cheese

    This is by far one of the easiest recipes to prepare, but the lack of a lengthy ingredient list or long preparation time is no reflection on the flavor-factor.

    The pasta, pesto, peas and cheese combination gets rave reviews every time I make it.

    A bowl of pesto pasta salad with a serving spoon on the side

    How to Serve Pesto Salad

    I think it's especially refreshing to serve this fresh pesto salad in the summer as a BBQ side dish, but honestly, it's equally delicious served any time of year with burgers, roasted chicken, pot roast or a pork loin.

    As another option, serve this as a main dish. Just top each serving of Four P Salad with a grilled chicken breast or grilled fish. Scrumptious!

    You can serve this warm or cold. Personally, I think It's best served cold, but there's no reason to chill it for hours before serving.

    Simply toss the ingredients with the cooked pasta and refrigerate until you are ready to eat. It doesn't matter if that's in 15 minutes or two hours.

    A bowl full of pesto pasta salad

    Another Option for Serving

    As an option, you can serve this warm or at room temperature. Just skip the step of rinsing the cooked pasta with cool water and defrost the peas completely before assembling the salad.

    Toss the ingredients together with the warm pasta and serve right away.

    cooked pasta

    Use a variety of pasta shapes

    I recommend using at least two, but ideally three different shapes of pasta for this recipe. The reason is, those various shapes give the pesto plenty of spaces to hide adds a lot of eye appeal.

    Be sure to cook the pasta just past the al dente stage. Boiling it for one or two minutes in addition to the cooking time listed on the pasta box is usually perfect. Cooking time varies depending on the shape of the pasta.

    This is one of those rare pasta recipes where you want the pasta to be slightly soft instead of chewy.

    That way the pasta doesn't get hard or even crunchy after it's mixed in with the ingredients and cooled.

    Frozen peas in a small bowl.
    The peas can be added straight from the freezer.

    Use Frozen Peas

    I adjust the amount of peas I use in this recipe from time-to-time. Sometimes I use one cup, sometimes two cups.

    It depends on how many frozen peas I have in the bag in the freezer, but I highly recommend using frozen, not canned peas.

    Pesto sauce in spoon over a bowl of pesto
    Make your own fresh pesto, it's so easy! Or in a pinch, use store-bought.

    FAQ and Tips

    Is store-bought pesto an option?

    I recommend using fresh pesto in this recipe, but in a pinch, store-bought works fine.

    That's part of the beauty of this recipe. The ingredients are so simple, but this pasta salad is a winner with just the "P" ingredients: pasta, pesto, parmesan and peas.

    Can I substitute different veggies instead of using peas?

    You sure can, and it may be delicious that way, but that of course will throw off the magic of "four p's" in this recipe.

    I recommend sticking with the peas but let me know in the comments if you tinker with the ingredients and love the outcome.

    The inspiration for Four P Salad

    There's a grocery store in Boise, Idaho called the Co-op, it's a community-owned natural foods store (not affiliated with this blog or sponsored) and they sell delicious deli salads, including Four P Salad.

    Pesto pasta salad being served from a bowl with parmesan cheese on top

    While I don't have their recipe for Four P Salad, I think this comes pretty close, my kids think my version is even better. (Aw, thanks kids!) Let me know what you think in the comments below.

    How to Store Leftovers

    Pesto pasta salad stays fresh for 2 - 4 days in the refrigerator. Keep it covered. I love to keep a bowl is this on hand because it's so easy to scoop up a serving for a fast lunch.

    A bowl of pesto pasta salad with parmesan cheese shredded on top

    What does pesto pasta go well with?

    Pesto pasta salad is so versatile, it's a wonderful side dish or even a main dish. Here are a few more fresh side dish options that I think you will enjoy.

    • Creamy Pea Salad
    • Crunchy Cole Slaw
    • Classic Potato Salad

    And just in case you are looking for a main dish that goes well with Four P Salad, here are a few that I recommend.

    • Skillet Glazed Salmon, this is my favorite way to serve fish with this recipe for pesto pasta salad
    • Dutch Oven Chicken
    • Quick Cheeseburger Pie

    Be sure to give a star rating to the recipes you make from the Crinkled Cookbook. I always love hearing from you. Sharing is great too! Use the buttons after the recipe to text it with just one click or send it to family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook. Enjoy.

    Pesto pasta salad being served from a bowl with parmesan cheese on top

    Four P Salad

    What's in a four P salad? Pasta, pesto sauce, frozen peas and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. That's it! The result is a zesty, aromatic pasta salad that is the perfect complement to burgers, grilled chicken, ribs, steaks or simply a potluck side dish.
    4.99 from 97 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 people, as a side dish
    Calories: 378kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup mini penne pasta
    • 1 cup rotini pasta
    • 1 cup elbow pasta
    • salt to taste
    • 2 cups peas frozen
    • 1 cup pesto store-bought or better yet, make your own fresh pesto - it's easy!
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese fresh grated for garnish

    Instructions

    • Place all three pasta types in boiling water, add salt and cook for 10 - 11 minutes or until pasta is slightly past the al dente stage, you'll want the pasta to be soft. Drain and rinse with cold water, just enough to take the steam off the hot pasta, but it can still be warm. Place pasta in a large bowl and add frozen peas. Stir gently to help defrost the peas. Add 1 cup pesto and stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve right away, or cover and let the flavors mingle until the next day. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Delicious.
    Did you make this recipe? Scroll up and leave a star rating.Tap @crinkledcookbook and follow me today.

    Notes

    I recommend using fresh pesto in this recipe, but in a pinch, store-bought works fine - but be sure to use frozen peas. 🙂

    Nutrition

    Calories: 378kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 13gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 525mgPotassium: 206mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1268IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 184mgIron: 2mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.

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    1. Sarah says

      June 22, 2021 at 2:56 am

      5 stars
      Well that looks fresh and delicious. You could pair this with some roast chook from the supermarket for an easy and delicious meal, yum! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Gabriela Herrera says

      June 20, 2021 at 5:55 pm

      5 stars
      Carbs on carbs dont threaten me with a good time. The fact that there are peas and pesto in here is just divine. Great as a dinner before a long run.

      Reply
    3. Kalin says

      June 19, 2021 at 5:56 pm

      Loving all the p’s! It’s hard to not love anything with pasta and Parmesan 😉

      Reply
    4. Gregory Halpen says

      June 19, 2021 at 3:50 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This is so up my alley! I love this salad. 🙂

      Reply

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