Pasta Salad with Pesto, Seared Steak and Feta

This recipe combines some of my favorite ingredients together into one dish. It also adds a unique twist on the classic pasta dish by layering the bottom of the plate with arugula, perfect way to sneak in some veggies for the day and I am all for minimal clean-up. Here I took some homemade pesto that has been featured quite a lot on my website lately, and mixed it with boiled gnocchi. If you have never had these little potato dumplings before, you better run to your nearest grocery store and get your hands on some. I love using gnocchi because it soaks up all the flavor from the surrounding ingredients. The seared steak adds protein to the dish to make this a satisfying and delicious meal.

Pasta Salad with Pesto, Seared Steak and Feta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless rib-eye steaks (each 3 ounces)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 bunch fresh arugula, stems removed
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 1 pound fresh or frozen gnocchi
• 1 pint red grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta

Directions

1. Preheat a grill. Drizzle the steak with oil and season with salt, and pepper. Place on the grill and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes on the each side for medium rare. Remove the steak from the grill and slice.

2. Prepare pesto

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta.

4. Toss the pasta with the pesto.  Layer arugula on the bottom of the plate, top with halved cherry tomatoes and pesto gnocchi. Top with feta cheese and place the sliced steak around the plate.