Introduction

Pesto pasta salad is known as the favorite summer dish at picnics, barbecues, and family gatherings. Featuring fresh ingredients, vibrant colors, and incredible flavors, it’s the perfect combination of deliciousness and health benefits. In this article, we will guide you through the best pesto pasta salad recipe to make a flavorful and irresistible dish for your table!

Ingredients

For the salad:

– 12 ounces fusilli pasta

– 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

– 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls or pearls

– 1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered

– ½ cup black olives, pitted and sliced

– ½ cup roasted red peppers, sliced

– ½ cup pine nuts

– Fresh basil leaves for garnishing

For the pesto:

– 2 cups fresh basil leaves

– 2 cloves garlic

– ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

– ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

– 3 tablespoons pine nuts

– Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the fusilli pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once it’s done, drain it in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking further.

2. Make the pesto: In a food processor or blender, combine fresh basil leaves, garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and some salt and pepper (to taste). Blend until smooth.

3. Prep other ingredients: While the pasta is cooking and cooling down, start prepping your other salad ingredients. Chop cherry tomatoes in half, slice your artichoke hearts into quarters (if not already done so), slice black olives and roasted red peppers, and set aside.

4. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add the pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls or pearls, artichoke hearts, black olives, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, and fresh basil leaves.

5. Mix the ingredients: Pour the prepared pesto sauce over the pasta and mix until all of the ingredients are well coated with the pesto.

6. Garnish and serve: Garnish your salad with additional fresh basil leaves and serve either as is or chilled. You can make this dish ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days!