Description
This vibrant Pesto Pasta Salad is a fresh and flavorful dish perfect for warm days or as a colorful side. Featuring al dente spiral pasta tossed in a homemade basil pesto with toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, and a hint of garlic, this salad is balanced with creamy mayonnaise, juicy cherry tomatoes, tender bocconcini, and peppery arugula. It’s an easy recipe that delivers a satisfying mix of textures and bright herbaceous flavors, perfect for picnics, lunches, or light dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 350g / 12oz spiral pasta (fusilli or other of choice, about 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 tbsp salt (for cooking pasta)
Pesto
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (substitute with walnuts, cashews, or almonds)
- 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 50/50 grapeseed/olive oil)
Salad Mix & Garnish
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (S&W preferred, otherwise Hellman’s)
- 250g (1 heaped cup) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 220g / 7 oz baby bocconcini, drained and cut in half
- 1 cup tightly packed baby rocket/arugula leaves (about 40g)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- Small basil leaves, optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring 3 litres of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions plus an additional 1 minute for the best texture. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water to halt cooking. Shake off excess water thoroughly and let it cool and dry completely.
- Make Pesto: In a tall jug just large enough to accommodate the head of a stick blender, combine the toasted pine nuts, basil leaves, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Blitz with a stick blender until mostly smooth, leaving some small bits of basil visible for texture, not completely pureed.
- Toss Salad: Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl and add the pesto. Scrape in 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and toss everything well to coat the pasta evenly. Gently fold in the halved bocconcini and cherry tomatoes, tossing lightly to distribute. Finally, add the baby rocket/arugula leaves and toss just enough to spread them throughout the salad.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and scatter small basil leaves on top if desired. Serve immediately or chill briefly before serving to meld flavors.
Notes
- To toast pine nuts, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.
- If substituting pine nuts, walnuts or cashews provide a nice alternative flavor and texture.
- Bocconcini can be replaced with mozzarella pearls or cubed fresh mozzarella if preferred.
- Mayonnaise adds creaminess and helps bind the salad; it can be omitted or replaced with Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Pesto pasta salad, basil pesto, pasta salad with bocconcini, Italian pasta salad, easy pesto pasta
