Pesto Pasta Salad with al dente pasta, bocconcini, and juicy cherry tomatoes tossed in a rich pesto sauce. It’s a light yet satisfying delicious lunch meal that’s sure to please the crowd!
Have I told you I love pesto? I love that it is so quick and easy to make, just a handful of ingredients, a few whirls in the food processor and you have a batch that stores well for days in the refrigerator and complements most dishes. I love it drizzled over baked fish, on rice and of course, this pesto pasta salad.
Dinner can’t get any easier than this, you guys! I made my own pesto sauce because, you know, I like punishing myself with more work, but you can very well pick up a jar of your trusted brand and have this pasta dish ready in a pinch.
This pesto pasta is pretty flexible, feel free to add more or less of the pesto sauce, fresh mozzarella, or cherry tomatoes according to your taste. I love how the sauce gets into every crook and cranny of the fusilli but you can swap your favorite noodle. The recipe can be easily doubled and leftovers keep well in the fridge and are just as awesome next day for packed lunches to work. Enjoy!
Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 cup mini boconccini (fresh mozzarella balls)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese
For the Pesto Sauce (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, bring about 4 quarts salted water to a rolling boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions for about 11 to 13 minutes or until firm to bite.
- Remove from heat. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
- In a food processor, combine pine nuts, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper until smooth.
- In a serving bowl, combine cooked pasta, boconccini, cherry tomatoes, and pesto sauce. Stir well to combine. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Refrigerate to chill and allow flavors to meld. Serve cold.
Nutrition
First Published on January, 14, 2013.
Do you actually mean an entire HEAD of garlic??? Other recipes call for just a few cloves of garlic. Even if it serves 8, that’s still a boatload of garlic.
Is my assumption that you serve this cold correct? Most pasta salads are but I didn’t see anything about making it ahead and or chilling it. Just wondering
Hello Bir,
Yes, I corrected the recipe to specify that it needs to be chilled 🙂 Thank you.
This looks yummy. I will have to make this minus the tomatoes.
It would still be yummy with the tomatoes 🙂
This looks super yummy! And best of it, it looks easy to make 🙂
Thanks, Nadine 🙂
I love pesto and i love to incorporate it with any dish I make at home. Thanks for sharing this, I now have new dish to try for the family…
Pesto sauce is so versatile, I haven’t found any dish I didn’t like it with. Maybe ice cream 🙂 Thank you, Claire
This looks very delicious! I would love to try this home. My son loves pasta and hopefully he’ll love this one too. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
My pleasure, Cheryl! Enjoy!
Mmmm pesto is sooooo good! And I also love cheese! It is like this recipe was made for me!
I’m a huge pasta lover. I love pesto sauce. Will surely try out the recipe.
Please do, you’ll love it!
I love pesto! Especially with pasta or bread. I think it’s awesome and easy to make. It’s definitely one of my favorite sauces.
Thanks, Carol!
This is one of my favorite summer salads. Everyone love sit, especially the kids.
Thanks, Stacey!
This loves so yummy. I” sure even my fussy toddlers will like this!
I love pasta with pesto. It looks like this amazing pasta I had at this sandwich shop when it was in Berkeley. I will have to check this out.
Thanks, David! I hope you like this!
This looks so delicious! I am a huge fan of pasta with mozzarella.
They are indeed a great combination 🙂
This looks delicious! I am going to pin this and save it to make later this week.
Thanks, Jessi 🙂
Oh my goodness this looks so yummy! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe, I want to try this out!
I hope you do, it’s delicious 🙂
That sounds super tasty. I think my whole family will enjoy this meal.
Thanks, Robin!This is such a good, family friendly dish!
This post made me very hungry lol. I’m craving for some pasta right now.
It’s so quick and easy to make you can satisfy your cravings right now 🙂
looks so refreshing!
Thank you, Sharee 🙂