Pesto Pasta Salad
This pesto pasta salad recipe combines basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella for an easy, make-ahead side ready in 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Large stockpot - For boiling pasta
- Small dry skillet - For toasting pine nuts
- Wooden spoon or rubber spatula - For tossing
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini or fusilli pasta - 450g
- ¾ cup basil pesto - 180ml, homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes - 300g, halved
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella bocconcini - 225g, halved if large
- ⅓ cup pine nuts - 45g, toasted
- ½ cup red onion - 60g, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves - 10g, torn, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - 30ml
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - 15ml, from about half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise - 30g, optional, for extra creaminess
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese - 25g
- Kosher salt - to taste
- black pepper - freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate immediately.
- Cook pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and rinse briefly under cool water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- While pasta cooks, halve the tomatoes and mozzarella (if large). Thinly slice red onion and tear basil leaves.
- In a small bowl, whisk together pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, and mayonnaise (if using) until smooth.
- Transfer cooled pasta to a large bowl and pour dressing over it. Toss until evenly coated, adding reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
- Gently fold in tomatoes, mozzarella, red onion, and basil. Sprinkle with Parmesan and fold once more to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and extra basil leaves. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes.
Notes
- Salt the pasta water generously. It should taste like the sea to season the pasta from within.
- Don't skip cooling the pasta. Tossing hot pasta with pesto will cook the basil and dull its color.
- Toast pine nuts separately. This brings out a buttery flavor that raw nuts lack.
- Save some pasta water. Stir in a tablespoon or two if the salad looks dry after chilling.
- Tear basil instead of chopping. This prevents bruising and keeps the edges from turning dark.
- Add delicate ingredients last. Fold in mozzarella and tomatoes at the end to keep them intact.
- Bring to room temperature before serving if chilled. Cold olive oil can become cloudy and stiff.
- Use a pasta shape with ridges. Rotini, fusilli, and farfalle trap more pesto than smooth shapes.
- Slice mix-ins to a similar size. Halve or quarter larger mozzarella balls to keep bites consistent.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir before serving leftovers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 13gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 410mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!