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Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto pasta salad with green pesto-coated fusilli or penne, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella pearls. This Italian side dish is tossed while the pasta is warm for even coating, then chilled so the flavors fully develop.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb fusilli or penne pasta
  • 1 cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade
  • 2 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls
  • 0.25 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
  • 1 fresh basil leaves for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and rinse pasta
  1. Cook fusilli or penne pasta according to the package directions until al dente, then drain.
  2. Rinse the drained pasta with cold water to cool it quickly and stop further cooking, then drain well.
Toast pine nuts
  1. Toast pine nuts on a sheet pan at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly golden.
Toss and season
  1. In a large bowl, toss the warm pasta with basil pesto until every piece looks evenly coated in green pesto.
  2. Add cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, and lemon juice, then toss gently to combine.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then toss gently again so the pesto and cheese distribute without breaking the pasta.
Chill and garnish
  1. Refrigerate the pesto pasta salad for at least 1 hour so the flavors develop and the tomatoes release their juices.
  2. Just before serving, garnish with fresh basil leaves for a bright, fresh finish.

Notes

Pro tip: toss the pesto with warm (not hot) pasta so it clings evenly; if the pasta cools, let it sit 2–3 minutes until warm again. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the texture is best within 24–48 hours. Freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-light option, use part-skim or a dairy-free pesto and swap mozzarella pearls for vegan mozzarella pearls.