loveandlemons5.0
Pesto Pasta Salad
This pesto pasta salad recipe is a fresh, delicious summer side dish! Make it gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free rotini pasta. Skip the cheese to make it vegan.
👥 6 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 30 min⏳ Prep: 15 min🔥 Cook: 15 min👤 Jeanine Donofrio📖 loveandlemons
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pot
- ●baking sheet
- ●food processor
- ●bowl
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until slightly past al dente. Before draining the pasta, scoop up ¾ cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and toss it with a little olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together. Spread the pasta on a baking sheet and let it (and the reserved pasta water) cool to room temperature.
2
Make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper and pulse until well chopped. Add the basil and pulse to combine. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the cheese, if using, and briefly pulse to combine. Set aside.
fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons
3
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, pesto, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper and toss. Fold in the tomatoes, mozzarella, and arugula and season to taste, adding more pasta water as needed to coat the salad in a lightly creamy sauce. Top with the pine nuts, basil, and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve at room temperature.
fresh lemon juice2 tablespoonsRed pepper flakes, optional
Nutrition Facts
calories
583 kcal
fat Content
37 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
3 g
sugar Content
4 g
sodium Content
591 mg
protein Content
17 g
cholesterol Content
13 mg
carbohydrate Content
49 g
saturated Fat Content
6 g
unsaturated Fat Content
25 g
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