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Pesto pasta salad on a platter.
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Pesto Pasta Salad

Bursting with fresh summer vegetables and dressed with flavorful basil pesto, this light pasta salad just might become your favorite potluck dish.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Entree or Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine: American/Mediterranean
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Author: Abigail Chipley

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound fusilli pasta
  • 1 pound summer squash or zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces snap or snow peas, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 medium red onion, sliced crosswise into thin slices (about 1-inch long)
  • 1 cup Basil Pesto
  • 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 8 ounces bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella balls), drained and halved
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or town

Instructions

  • Get ready. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with Kosher salt.
  • Cook pasta and blanch veggies. Cook the fusilli until al dente, about one minute less than the package directions suggest. Scoop out about a cup of the pasta water into another container. Remove pasta from the heat and stir in the squash, peas, and red onion, then immediately drain pasta and vegetables through a large colander.
  • Toss with Basil Pesto. Return pasta and vegetables to the pot and stir in the pesto until everything is completely coated. Thin the mixture with a drizzle of the pasta cooking water, if desired. Then gently stir in the tomatoes, and transfer to a serving dish. Once cooled slightly, stir in the mozzarella, the red pepper flakes, and season with salt to your liking.
  • Chill and serve. Serve pasta immediately or chill completely. To serve, drizzle it with lemon juice and stir in half of the torn basil leaves. Taste and season again with salt, if necessary. Transfer pasta to a serving dish and scatter with the remaining basil leaves.

Notes

  • Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the pasta used in this recipe.
  • Note: Nutrition Information does not include Basil Pesto. 

Nutrition

Calories: 317.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.4g | Protein: 14.6g | Fat: 7.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10.2mg | Sodium: 34.5mg | Potassium: 486.3mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1010.4IU | Vitamin C: 37.2mg | Calcium: 144.9mg | Iron: 1.8mg

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