Pesto Pasta Salad (Print Version)

A colorful pasta mixed with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and toasted pine nuts.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)

→ Pesto

02 - 1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Vegetables & Add-ins

03 - 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
04 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or diced mozzarella)
05 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
06 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach (optional)

→ Seasoning

07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
09 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Set aside to cool slightly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, blend cooled pasta with basil pesto and olive oil. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
03 - Incorporate sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, pine nuts, and spinach if used. Gently toss to combine all ingredients.
04 - Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and optional lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour for a cooler, refreshing dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes flat, no complicated techniques or special equipment needed.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting—every bite tastes intentional and restaurant-quality.
  • Perfect cold from the fridge, which means you can make it hours ahead and actually enjoy your guests.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta after cooking—I learned this the hard way when I skipped it once and ended up with gluey, disappointing mush.
  • Don't skip toasting the pine nuts; raw ones taste like sadness, but toasted ones taste like you knew what you were doing.
  • Taste the pesto before adding it—store-bought versions range from barely seasoned to aggressively salty, and you need to know what you're working with.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally—they brown fast and can go from toasted to burnt in seconds, so watch them like you mean it.
  • If you're using a really garlicky pesto, you might not need salt at all, so taste first and adjust accordingly.
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