Pesto Pasta Salad

Tomatoes, kalamata olives, and mozzarella balls are tossed with pasta in a creamy pesto dressing for a lightweight and flavor-packed picnic or potluck dish.

Taste: This pesto pasta salad is herby, garlicky, and tangy with creamy bites of mozzarella and juicy tomatoes.
Ability Degree: This beginner-friendly recipe makes use of a 3-ingredient dressing, tossed with a handful of different components.
Price range Tip: Expend leftover veggie bits and add further pasta to stretch the recipe additional.
Serving Recommendations: Make it a major dish and add leftover chicken, shrimp, salmon, or tofu.

Pesto Pasta Salad ingredients in a bowl and a side bowl with salad dressing ingredients

Ingredient Ideas for Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta: Search for pasta shapes with grooves, tubes, or twists for the pesto dressing to cling to. Penne, rotini, cavatappi, and bow-tie are nice choices.
Dressing: Use store-bought pesto or make home made basil pesto. Attempt swapping out the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt for fewer energy and a lighter taste.
Veggies: Sundried tomatoes present a chewy texture whereas grape or cherry tomatoes add colour and sweetness. You can too use chopped spinach, diced cucumbers, corn kernels, peas, or diced bell peppers.
Cheese: Use bite-sized bocconcini balls or reduce a bigger ball of contemporary mozzarella into small cubes. Feta, gorgonzola, or blue cheese crumbles can be utilized as a substitute of mozzarella.

ingredients for pesto pasta salad in a bowl next to pesto dressing

Storing Pesto Pasta Salad

Prep pesto pasta salad a minimum of 2 hours however as much as two days forward of time. Toss components collectively, cowl, and chill within the fridge till able to serve.

Hold leftover pesto pasta salad in a lined container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Freezing isn’t advisable.

Mediterranean Impressed Pasta Salad Recipes

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Pesto pasta salad is straightforward to make and may be served as a facet dish or major dish!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Chill Time 2 hours

Whole Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Prepare dinner ModeForestall your display screen from going darkish

In a big pot of salted water, prepare dinner pasta al dente, and drain nicely. Rinse beneath chilly water to cease cooking.
In a small bowl, whisk pesto, mayonnaise, and crimson wine vinegar.
In a big bowl, mix the drained pasta, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and olives. Add the dressing and toss nicely to mix. Style and season with extra salt and pepper if desired.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours earlier than serving.
Chop contemporary basil and sprinkle on prime simply earlier than serving

Rinse the pasta in chilly water to cease the cooking course of and hold pasta agency.
Because the salad sits, it is going to take up dressing, so be sure you gown generously.
Non-obligatory additions embody parmesan cheese, contemporary spinach, capers, or a squeeze of lemon juice.

*If utilizing home made pesto, the pasta salad and leftover pesto needs to be refrigerated and consumed inside 3 days.

Diet info supplied is an estimate and can range primarily based on cooking strategies and types of components used.

Course Pasta, Salad, Aspect Dish

Delicacies American, Italian

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