Pesto Pasta Salad (Printable)

A vibrant, flavorful mix of basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and pine nuts.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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)

# Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool slightly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with basil pesto and olive oil until evenly coated.
03 - Fold in sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, pine nuts, and baby spinach if using. Toss gently to combine.
04 - Add salt, black pepper, and lemon zest if desired. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Serve immediately or chill for one hour for a more refreshing taste.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can actually pull this off on a weeknight without fanfare.
  • The basil-to-cheese ratio creates this perfect creamy-herbaceous balance that tastes restaurant-quality but tastes like home.
  • It's one of those dishes that improves as it sits, so you can make it ahead and let the flavors deepen while you do literally anything else.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the hot pasta; warm pasta will wilt the mozzarella into a sad, melty clump instead of keeping those beautiful soft balls intact.
  • If you make this ahead and refrigerate it, take it out 10 minutes before serving so the olive oil doesn't solidify—it tastes so much better at room temperature.
03 -
  • If your pesto seems thick, thin it with a little extra olive oil so it coats the pasta evenly instead of clumping up.
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for just two minutes—any longer and they burn, any shorter and they taste flat and raw.
Return