Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
This pesto pasta salad recipe is loaded with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and arugula, all tossed together in a big batch of homemade pesto. It's easy to make ahead and just as good the next day!
Servings: 6 servings
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
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 724IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 2mg
