Pesto Pasta Salad (Printable)

Fresh pasta tossed with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and pine nuts for a bright dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)

→ Pesto

02 - 1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

→ Vegetables & Add-ins

03 - 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
04 - 7 ounces fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or diced mozzarella)
05 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
06 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach (optional)

→ Seasoning

07 - Salt, to taste
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
09 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Set aside to cool slightly.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooled pasta with basil pesto and olive oil. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
03 - Gently fold in sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, pine nuts, and spinach if using.
04 - Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon zest if desired. Taste and modify seasoning as needed.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for one hour for a chilled variation.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, leaving you more time to actually enjoy the outdoors instead of slaving over a stove.
  • The combination of warm pasta with cool, bright pesto and creamy mozzarella creates this perfect textural dance that somehow never gets boring.
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to get to know each other in the fridge.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking but also removes some starch—I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned into a gluey mess, but that rinsing step is exactly why this salad has such a light texture.
  • The pesto-to-pasta ratio is everything, and I've made this mistake twice: use less pesto than you think you need, then add more as you go, because you can always add more but you can't take it out.
03 -
  • If your store-bought pesto looks dark or separated, give it a gentle stir and taste a tiny spoonful first—some brands are milder than others, so you might need to adjust the amount depending on which one you're using.
  • Mozzarella straight from the refrigerator is too cold and tastes rubbery, so pull it out fifteen minutes before you assemble everything and let it come to room temperature for a creamy, delicate texture.
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