Easy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
This easy Pesto Pasta Salad is filled with the most flavorful combination of zesty pesto, pasta, sweet cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella cheese pearls, and kalamata olives. Ready in less than 30 minutes, it's the perfect side dish for picnics, parties, and summer cookouts.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6.5 ounces basil pesto store-bought or homemade
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved lengthwise
- 1 (8-ounce) package mozzarella cheese pearls
- ½ cup kalamata olives halved lengthwise
- fresh basil to garnish
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain and rinse with cold water until the pasta has cooled completely, then drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, toss to coat, and set aside.
- Mix the pesto, ½ cup of the parmesan cheese, garlic, and black pepper together in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella, and olives and gently toss to coat.
- Stir in the cooked pasta. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the refrigerator and toss before serving. Garnish with the remaining ½ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Freezing is not recommended.
- Optional additions: Artichoke hearts, charred grilled corn, feta cheese, red onion, fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, chicken, or chickpeas.
- Check out my homemade pesto recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 702mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1148IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 362mg | Iron: 2mg
