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This Pesto Pasta Salad recipe is loaded with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and peppery arugula, all tossed together in a big batch of homemade pesto. It’s simple to throw together and seriously good for picnics, potlucks, or just an easy weeknight dinner!
Love pasta salad recipes? You need to try our Simple vegan pasta salad as well as our Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad and our Roasted veggie pasta salad!
Why you’ll love this flavorful pasta salad!
Growing up with an Italian father who spent his summers outside in his garden, I’m no stranger to a good pesto recipe. I have a lot of them on my blog at this point like this Creamy Pesto Pasta, this Pesto Pasta Bake, and this Pesto Gnocchi.
And as someone who LOVES pasta salad, I’m surprised that I’m just now sharing a pesto pasta salad recipe! It’s super simple to make and packed with so much flavor – I’m excited for you to try it!
Why You’ll Love This
- Comes together with one bowl and zero fancy techniques
- Uses a full batch of pesto so nothing dries out, even the next day
- Great make-ahead option for picnics, potlucks, and meal prep
- Easy to customize with what’s in your fridge
Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Pasta – any short, sturdy shape works (rotini, fusilli, or shells are great for grabbing the pesto)
- Fresh cherry tomatoes – halved for juicy bursts of sweetness in every bite.
- Mozzarella cheese – small mozzarella balls (ciliegine) are ideal, but a diced block works too
- Arugula – adds a peppery bite; baby spinach is a good substitute if you want something milder
- Fresh pesto – homemade basil pesto is best here, but a high-quality store-bought pesto sauce works in a pinch. I also have a really delicious vegan pesto recipe!
- Red onion – thinly sliced or diced for a little sharpness; soak in cold water for a few minutes if you want to mellow the bite
- Toppings – toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, extra shredded Parmesan
- Optional additions – artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes are all delicious mixed into this salad!
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written easy pesto pasta salad recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- Make the pesto. I LOVE fresh basil pesto and highly recommend it. I make mine in a food processor. That being said, store bought pesto works great as well.
- Cook the pasta. Cook your pasta in a pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. I love using a small pasta shape, such as rotini, for this recipe. But, really any shape of pasta works well.
- Toss the pasta. Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl and toss it with the creamy pesto dressing. I like to do this separately bc the pesto gets stuck in all of the grooves of the pasta and I love that!
- Mix in the veggies. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, arugula, and red onion and toss to combine. Serve with fresh basil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips
- Use the full batch of pesto. This is what keeps the salad from drying out, especially if you’re making it ahead. If you want it a little less saucy, start with half the batch and add more to taste.
- Cool the pasta before tossing. A quick rinse under cold water keeps the arugula from wilting and stops the noodles from overcooking.
- Add the arugula and basil last. Tossing them in right before serving (or even right before eating leftovers) keeps everything looking and tasting fresh.
- Taste before serving. Pasta soaks up a lot of flavor as it sits, so a quick taste and an extra drizzle of pesto right before serving makes a big difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It’s actually one of the best make-ahead dishes. Just hold off on adding the arugula and basil until right before serving so they stay fresh.
Absolutely. Homemade pesto has the brightest flavor, but a good-quality store-bought pesto will work great here too.
Short, sturdy shapes like rotini, fusilli, or shells hold onto the pesto well. Avoid anything too delicate that might break down as it sits.
White beans, chickpeas, or grilled chicken or shrimp (if you eat meat) are all great additions to bulk this up into a more filling meal.
Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta of choice, I used rotini
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz mozzarella, small balls, halved if needed
- 1 cup arugula, packed
- 1 batch homemade pesto*, or start with half and add to taste
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced or dice
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to cool it down.
- While the pasta cooks, make a batch of pesto using this recipe. For a lighter, less saucy salad, you can start with half the batch and add more to taste.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large bowl and toss with the pesto until well coated.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, arugula, and red onion to the bowl and toss again until everything is evenly combined.
- Top with toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and extra shredded Parmesan, if using. Serve right away or chill until ready to eat.
Notes
- Vegan pesto pasta recipe
- Toss the pasta with the pesto first so every noodle gets coated, then add the rest.
- For the freshest flavor, add the arugula and fresh basil right before serving rather than tossing them in ahead of time.
- One batch of homemade pesto is about 1 cup.
- For the mozzarella, look for small mozzarella balls labeled bocconcini or ciliegine. If you can’t find those, a regular ball of mozzarella chopped into bite-sized pieces works just as well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
