Summer Pasta Salad with Pesto (Printable Version)

Light summer pasta salad with pesto, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and arugula—quick, fresh, picnic-ready.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 300 g (10.5 oz) short pasta (e.g., fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Cheese

03 - 250 g (9 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 200 g (7 oz) fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine), drained and halved
05 - 50 g (2 oz) baby arugula or fresh basil leaves

→ Pesto

06 - 4 tbsp (about 60 g) fresh basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
07 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Additions

09 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Steps:

01 - 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 cooking.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella halves, and arugula or basil leaves.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the pesto and olive oil until smooth.
04 - Pour the pesto dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to evenly coat everything.
05 - Season with freshly ground black pepper. Add toasted pine nuts and lemon zest, if desired.
06 - Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes for enhanced flavor.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and still tastes like you spent the afternoon cooking.
  • The combination of pesto juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella makes every bite feel complete.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is the quick trick that keeps the salad from becoming gluey.
  • Good quality pesto changes everything so taste the pesto before adding more oil or salt.
03 -
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until fragrant to add a warm nuttiness.
  • If your pesto is very salty add a squeeze of lemon to brighten and balance the flavors.
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