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Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil in a bowl
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A vibrant and nutritious salad combining pesto, pasta, and fresh ingredients, perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 350g / 12oz spiral pasta (fusilli, or other of choice, about 3 1/2 cups)
  • 1 tbsp salt (for cooking pasta)
  • 2 tbsp pinenuts (toasted, or 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 a mix of grapeseed and olive oil)
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise (such as S&W or Hellman’s)
  • 250g (1 heaped cup) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 220g / 7 oz baby bocconcini (drained, cut in half)
  • 1 cup (tightly packed) baby rocket/arugula leaves (about 40g)
  • 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt (for salad)
  • Small basil leaves (optional for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta: In a large pot, bring 3 liters of water to a boil. Add the salt to the water. Once boiling, cook the pasta according to the package instructions plus one additional minute for perfect tenderness. When done, drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it under cold water. Make sure to shake off the excess water and let it cool completely.
  2. Make pesto: In a tall jug or container, combine the basil leaves, pinenuts, garlic, parmesan, cooking salt, and black pepper. Use a stick blender to blitz these ingredients until the mixture is fairly smooth. You want a nice pesto consistency with some visible bits for texture.
  3. Toss ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled pasta. Scoot the pesto into the bowl along with the mayonnaise. Toss everything well to ensure the pasta is evenly coated with the pesto. Next, gently mix in the bocconcini and cherry tomatoes until they are well distributed. Finally, add the rocket/arugula leaves and toss lightly to mix.
  4. Serve: Spoon the salad into a serving bowl. If desired, scatter some small basil leaves on top for garnish. Your pesto pasta salad is now ready to serve!

Notes

This salad can be made ahead of time and is versatile for many servings.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://doughdazzle.com/pesto-pasta-salad-recipe/