Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
Make this refreshing cold pesto pasta salad for your next BBQ or potluck. It combines pasta with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and fragrant pesto. This dish is quick to prepare and tastes great chilled.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Bake Assembly
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (rotini or penne recommended)
- 1 cup prepared pesto sauce
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved or quartered
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, pesto sauce, mozzarella balls, halved tomatoes, and chopped red onion.
- Gently toss all ingredients together until the pasta is evenly coated with the pesto.
- Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- If using, stir in the toasted pine nuts.
- Cover the bowl and chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to combine.
- Serve the pesto pasta salad cold.
Notes
- You can make this salad ahead of time; it often tastes better the next day.
- For a complete meal, add grilled chicken or chickpeas.
- If you are looking for quick weeknight meal ideas, this recipe is a good option, unlike complex meal planning systems.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 19
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 14
- Cholesterol: 30
Find it online: https://blissbatter.com/pesto-pasta-salad-bliss/