Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta tossed in fresh basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, fresh rocket leaves, and bocconcini cheese. This summer salad is packed with fresh flavors from the pesto.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 700kcal

Author Subhasmita

Equipment

1 Pot for cooking pasta in salted boiling water
1 Mixing bowl to toss around pasta ingredients

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

500 grams Pasta
Preferably fusilli, or other of choice  1
2 tablespoons Salt for cooking pasta
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tablespoon Mayo / Sour cream
1.5 cup cherry tomatoes
275 grams bocconcini drained(more if you prefer)
2 handfuls baby arugula (more if you prefer)
⅓ cup pine nuts
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Pesto

¼ cup pinenuts toasted
3 cups tightly packed basil leaves
1 garlic clove chopped
½ cup
grated parmesan  
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon
lemon juice  
⅓ cup Olive oil

Instructions

Bring enough water to a boil. Season well with salt. Add pasta and cook al-dente. Drain pasta well in a colander. Place it in a large mixing bowl.
Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over pasta, toss well, and allow it to cool completely.

Make Pesto

Clean basil leaves. Discard hard stems. Drain well in case it is washed under water.
Add basil leaves, pine nuts, grated parmesan, chopped garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Pulse 3-4 times. While the food processor still running, slowly add olive oil and keep processing until the pesto is quite smooth.

Pasta Salad

To the cooled-down pasta, add all the pesto and mayo. Mix well.
Add cut cherry tomatoes, halved bocconcini, arugula, and toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Toss everything well to coat.
Serve!!

Video

Nutrition