Description
A vibrant and flavorful pasta salad combining fresh basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella for a delightful dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) or diced mozzarella
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (for pesto)
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (for pesto)
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Juice of ½ a lemon (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Set aside to cool.
- Combine in a food processor: 1 cup fresh basil leaves, Parmesan, ⅓ cup olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Adjust the consistency by adding a tablespoon or two of water or extra olive oil if the pesto is too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding lemon juice if desired.
- Toss the cooled pasta with the pesto dressing in a large bowl.
- Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella balls.
- Sprinkle torn basil leaves over the salad for freshness.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, letting the salad sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
For best flavor, allow the salad to sit for a bit before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 10mg