pesto pasta salad
Craving a refreshing and flavorful pasta dish? This pesto pasta salad combines the vibrant flavors of homemade basil pesto with perfectly cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, and creamy bocconcini.
Ingredients
Base Pasta
- 350g spiral pasta (fusilli or your preferred shape)
- 1 tbsp salt (for cooking pasta)
Fresh Pesto Sauce
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (or walnuts/cashews/almonds)
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salad Components
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 220g baby bocconcini, halved
- 1 cup baby rocket/arugula leaves
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt
- Small basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Boil 3 liters water with 1 tablespoon salt
- Cook pasta according to package time plus 1 minute
- Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool completely
- Toast pine nuts until golden in a dry pan
- Blend pine nuts, basil, garlic, parmesan, salt, pepper, and olive oil until mostly smooth
- Place cooled pasta in a large bowl
- Add the blended pesto and mayonnaise, toss well
- Add halved cherry tomatoes and bocconcini, toss gently
- Add arugula/rocket leaves, toss lightly
- Transfer to serving bowl
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves
- Serve at room temperature