Pesto Pasta Salad is a quick & easy side dish, made with just a handful of ingredients that is great for backyard BBQs, potlucks, & parties.
I sure love easy side dishes. With as much as there is to do when it comes to getting a meal on the table, I’m all about keeping it simple.
So recipes like this super fast pasta salad always top my list when it comes to meals. I love that it is not only easy, but the dishes are kept to a minimum too. You just can’t beat that.
Growing up my mom didn’t do a lot of sides. But whenever we would visit other family members, my aunt and grandparents – we always had a wide variety of sides to choose from.
I loved all the new flavors and found some favorites throughout the years. When many of them passed I was fortunate enough to inherit their cookbooks and recipe boxes. So I can make those favorites still today – like this pasta salad recipe.
pesto pasta salad recipe
Here are some commonly asked questions
What is the best way to store leftover pasta salad?
Just keep it refrigerated for up to 7 days. As long as you don’t let it sit out at room temperature for too long, this should keep well when chilled.
Can this recipe be cut in half?
Oh of course! If you only need a small portion – this recipe reduces easily. But do keep in mind that this recipe keeps well for a while if properly refrigerated, so you could just have it for leftovers for a few days.
pasta salad with pesto
What is considered a short pasta?
Short pasta is pretty simple – it’s anything that isn’t longer than about 2″. This would include elbows, farfalle, fusilli, rotini, penne or rigatoni. The longer pastas would include spaghettis, angel hair and fettuccini.
Can this recipe be doubled?
You can, and we do it often. Doubling actually works quite well – so if you are taking this to a party or potluck, I recommend doubling or even tripling this recipe.
pasta salad recipe pesto
What exactly is pesto?
Pesto is a mixture of crushed basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. It is made by blending those ingredients in a food processor until it becomes a sauce. Pesto is typically found in bruschetta, pizza, pasta, and more.
What types of pasta can I use?
We used spirals for this version here, but you can use any short pasta for this recipe. It doesn’t matter – just be sure to watch the cooking time as some of them vary a bit.
pasta salad pesto
HOW DO YOU MAKE PESTO PASTA SALAD?
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Rinse the pasta under cool water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto with ¼ cup of pasta water.
- Add the pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, cucumber, and pine nuts. Toss to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
Can this be made with another type of sauce?
Yes, of course! It won’t be pesto anymore, but if you wanted to make this with a creamy ranch sauce, alfredo or even toss it with a simple Italian dressing – those are all delicious options.
recipe pesto pasta salad
Ingredients for Pesto Pasta Salad
- pasta
- pesto – homemade or store-bought
- cherry tomatoes halved
- mini mozzarella pearls
- cucumber – peeled and sliced
- toasted pine nuts
- salt and pepper
Change it up with these ingredients
- different colors or types of tomatoes
- sliced olives
- baby spinach
- fresh basil leaves
- roasted tomatoes
- roasted walnuts or pecans
cold pasta salad with pesto
What to serve with pesto pasta salad?
This side dish is so versatile we pair it with almost anything. But here is a small list of our favorite main dish recipes we serve alongside this delicious recipe.
- beef and mushroom kabobs
- ritz cracker pork chops
- pellet grill chicken wings
- gourmet hot dogs
- baked honey garlic chicken
- air fryer panko-crusted pork chops
cold pesto pasta salad
Products I love when making this pasta salad with pesto…
This pasta salad recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade pasta salad before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this side dish recipe.
- stockpot
- colander
- mixing bowl
- serving spoon
- pasta
- pesto -homemade or store-bought
- mini mozzarella pearls
- toasted pine nuts
- salt
- pepper
If you love this Easy Pesto Pasta Salad recipe, you’re going to love these other side dish recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
pesto salad
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Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta
- ¾ cup pesto homemade or store-bought
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 8 ounces mini mozzarella pearls
- 1 cucumber peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Rinse the pasta under cool water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto with ¼ cup of pasta water.
- Add the pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, cucumber, and pine nuts. Toss to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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