Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto pasta salad is easy, impressive, and perfect for a crowd. Use your favorite store-bought pesto sauce or make your own. Do remember to cook the pasta past al dente, and don't skimp on the veggies. Pesto pasta salad is best served at room temperature, so it's a great make-ahead option to round our your backyard barbecue menu or take along to a potluck.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 232kcal

Author Danielle Esposti

Ingredients

1 pound rotini pasta see Note 1
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup pesto sauce divided; see Note 2
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar white wine vinegar, or lemon juice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved
1 english cucumber quartered, seeds removed, and thinly sliced
1 c frozen peas thawed
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese preferably pearls or bocconcini, see Note 3
½ c fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Bring five quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large (at least 8 quart) stock pot. Just before the water comes to a boil, add the salt (see Note 4) and stir to combine.
Add the pasta to the boiling water, then stir constantly for 30 seconds to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes past al dente (check the package instructions for specific times); see Note 5.
Drain the pasta and immediately transfer to a large mixing bowl; do not run under water first and do not cool first. Add ¾ cup pesto sauce along with the olive oil and vinegar (or lemon juice). Toss until well combined, then transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour, and up to two days; see Note 6.
Thirty (30) minutes before serving, remove the pasta from the fridge and set on the counter to come to room temperature.
Just before serving, add the remaining ¼ cup pesto sauce, tomatoes, cucumber, peas, and mozzarella to the pasta. Toss until very well combined, then taste for seasoning; adjust the salt, pepper, or acid to taste until the flavor sings. Top with fresh basil leaves.
Serve at room temperature, adding more fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1. Use a short pasta, preferably with ridges or curves. This will help the pesto sauce adhere to the pasta.
Note 2. Use your favorite store-bought pesto sauce, or make your own basil pesto!
Note 3. (types of mozzarella)
Note 4. If you’re sensitive to salt, reduce to 2 teaspoons. Salting the pasta water will infuse the pasta with flavor from the inside out.
Note 5. Pasta salads turn out best using fully cooked, not al dente, pasta noodles.
Note 6. Allow the pasta and the pesto sauce to chill before adding the mix-ins to allow the pasta to fully absorb the pesto sauce. You’ll season the mix-ins with the remaining pesto sauce once the pasta has cooled.

Nutrition