Description
A simple, flavor-packed pasta salad with herbaceous pesto, sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and crunchy nuts, perfect for gatherings or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces pasta (fusilli, rotini, or farfalle)
- 1 cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Cook the pasta until just al dente according to package directions, about 8–10 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, prep your mix-ins: halve the tomatoes, cube the mozzarella, thinly slice the red onion, and toast the nuts in a dry skillet until golden.
- Whisk together 1 cup of pesto, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a large bowl. Add reserved pasta water if needed.
- Add the drained pasta, tossing to coat. Fold in the tomatoes, mozzarella, onion, and toasted nuts. Season to taste.
- Let the salad rest for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
This salad can be made ahead of time. Hold back the mozzarella and fresh basil until serving for best texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: pasta salad, pesto, summer recipes, vegetarian, picnic food