Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful pesto pasta salad featuring spiral pasta tossed with a freshly blended basil pesto, toasted pine nuts, creamy bocconcini, juicy cherry tomatoes, and peppery rocket leaves. This refreshing salad combines Mediterranean ingredients and is perfect as a light meal or side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta
- 350g / 12oz spiral pasta (fusilli or other of choice, about 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 tbsp salt (for cooking pasta)
For the Pesto
- 2 tbsp pine nuts (toasted; can substitute walnuts, cashews, or almonds)
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove (minced)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 50/50 grapeseed and olive oil)
For the Salad
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (S&W preferred, otherwise Hellman’s)
- 250g (1 heaped cup) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 220g / 7 oz baby bocconcini, drained and halved
- 1 cup tightly packed baby rocket/arugula leaves (about 40g)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- Small basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring 3 litres of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add the spiral pasta and cook according to the package directions plus an extra minute. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Shake off all excess water and let the pasta fully cool and dry.
- Make Pesto: In a tall jug just large enough to fit a stick blender, combine the toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, minced garlic, finely grated parmesan, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Blitz using the stick blender until the mixture is fairly smooth, keeping some texture with visible green bits for a fresh pesto consistency rather than a completely smooth sauce.
- Toss Salad: Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl. Add the freshly made pesto and mayonnaise, then toss well to coat all the pasta evenly. Gently fold in the halved bocconcini and cherry tomatoes to evenly distribute without crushing them. Add the baby rocket/arugula leaves and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, tossing gently once more to combine.
- Serve: Transfer the pesto pasta salad to a serving bowl. Scatter with small basil leaves for garnish if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy as a light meal or accompaniment.
Notes
- Mayonnaise adds creaminess and richness to the salad, balancing the fresh pesto flavors.
- Toasting pine nuts brings out their nutty aroma; substitute with walnuts, cashews, or almonds if preferred.
- Baby bocconcini provides a mild, milky creaminess that pairs well with the fresh pesto and tomatoes.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and cools it for salad use; draining well avoids sogginess.
- This salad is best eaten the same day but can be kept refrigerated for up to a day.
Keywords: pesto pasta salad, Italian pasta salad, basil pesto recipe, summer salad, easy pasta salad, vegetarian pasta dish, bocconcini salad, fresh basil salad
Find it online: https://bitesizedbenny.com/pesto-pasta-salad-recipe/
