Pesto Pasta Salad - Dinner at the Zoo

This pesto pasta salad is pasta with mozzarella cheese, olives, tomatoes and pine nuts, all tossed with fresh basil pesto. An easy side dish that’s perfect for a potluck or picnic.

Pesto pasta salad is a must have for all of your summer gatherings. It’s fresh, flavorful, and the whole thing can be put together in 20 minutes. Serve your pasta salad alongside main course options such as baked chicken tenders, a summery lobster roll, a chicken club sandwich or a grilled turkey burger.

This pesto pasta salad is literally one of the best pasta salads I’ve ever had. That combination of fresh pesto, tender pasta, creamy mozzarella and juicy tomatoes just can’t be beat! This is definitely one of my go-to recipes for summer entertaining.

Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients

To make this recipe, you’ll need corkscrew pasta, pesto, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, olives, pine nuts, red onion and parsley.

How Do You Make Pesto Pasta Salad?

Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain the noodles and run them under cold water. Place the pasta in a large bowl along with the tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, pine nuts, red onion and fresh parsley. Add the pesto and gently toss everything together. Serve, and add a garnish of pine nuts and parsley if desired.

Tips For The Perfect Dish

• For this pesto pasta salad, any short pasta will work. I used cavatappi pasta, but other great choices are penne, macaroni, farfalle or rotini.
• I’ve learned that pine nuts can get expensive quickly, so it’s best to buy just what you need from the bulk bins at the store instead a whole big bag.
• This salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Rinse your cooked pasta in cold water to keep it from sticking together when you make the salad. This also helps to cool it off before you add the rest of the ingredients.

Flavor Variations

This salad is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavor to your tastes.

• Grains: Instead of pasta, try making this dish with brown rice or farro for a different flavor and texture.
• Protein: Add some diced grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, or white beans to turn this side dish into a main course option.
• Vegetables: You can add more veggies to the salad for added flavor and nutrition. Some great options include baby spinach leaves, diced grilled eggplant, artichoke hearts, shaved fennel or sliced grilled zucchini.
• Cheese: Instead of mozzarella, try using cubes of feta cheese, crumbled goat cheese, fontina cheese or shaved parmesan.

I love that this pesto pasta salad is full of tons of great flavors and textures. My kids love it too, I just omit the red onion when I’m serving this dish to the little ones. The fact that it can be a side or a full meal is a plus for this mama’s busy schedule and I’m sure it will be for yours as well!

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