Save to Pinterest The first time I made this pesto pasta salad was completely unplanned—I'd bought too much basil at the farmers market and needed to use it before it wilted, so I threw together whatever I had in the fridge. What started as a last-minute solution became something I now make every summer without fail. There's something magical about how the warm pasta soaks up that vibrant green pesto while the mozzarella stays cool and creamy. It's become my go-to dish when I want to impress people without spending hours in the kitchen.
I remember bringing this to a neighborhood picnic on a sweltering July afternoon, and it somehow became the one thing people kept coming back to. Someone joked that I must have spent all day cooking, and when I told them it took less than half an hour, they didn't believe me. That moment made me realize how restaurant-quality food doesn't always require restaurant-level effort or stress.
Ingredients
- Short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle), 350g: Use whatever shape you have—the curls and tubes catch the pesto better and create little pockets of flavor that make each bite feel intentional.
- Basil pesto, 100g: Quality matters here; I learned the hard way that the cheapest grocery store version tastes flat and bitter, but store-bought is genuinely fine if you grab something made with real basil and pine nuts.
- Sun-dried tomatoes, 100g: Get the kind packed in oil if possible—they taste richer, and you can use that oil to add extra depth to the salad.
- Fresh mozzarella balls, 200g: The whole point of this salad is those creamy pockets, so don't skimp or substitute with low-moisture mozzarella, which will feel rubbery and sad.
- Pine nuts, 40g, toasted: Toasting them yourself takes two minutes and completely changes the flavor from mild to nutty and rich—it's worth those two minutes.
- Fresh baby spinach, 50g (optional): I add it when I want to make the salad feel slightly more substantial or when I'm trying to sneak greens into a meal.
- Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp: The oil helps everything flow together and prevents the pasta from drying out as it sits.
- Salt, pepper, and lemon zest: These three things are the bridge between a good salad and one where every element pops individually and harmonizes together.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until it's just barely done:
- Boil your salted water until it's really at a rolling boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente—one minute before it feels fully soft. Drain it and rinse it under cold water while gently stirring so the pieces don't stick together in clumps.
- Toss the pasta with pesto while it's still warm:
- This is the secret: warm pasta absorbs the pesto like a sponge, making every strand taste intentional and bright. Add your olive oil at the same time to help everything coat evenly.
- Add everything else gently and carefully:
- The mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes are delicate, so fold them in rather than aggressively tossing. This keeps them intact instead of turning into a broken, mushy mess.
- Season one final time right before serving:
- Taste it, then add salt, pepper, and lemon zest according to what your palate is telling you. The pesto is salty, so you might need less salt than you'd expect.
Save to Pinterest There was an afternoon when a friend came over and we ate this straight from the bowl while sitting on the porch, barely speaking because we were too busy enjoying how fresh and light everything tasted. That's when I understood that the best meals aren't always about technique or complexity—sometimes they're just about putting good ingredients together and getting out of their way.
Why This Salad Works for Every Season
In summer, it's the perfect cool dish when you don't want to heat up the kitchen. In fall, you can roast the tomatoes yourself or add roasted vegetables like zucchini and eggplant. Even in winter, when fresh basil is impossible to find, making this with a quality jar of pesto feels like a warm hug that tastes like summer memories. I've even made it with arugula pesto when basil wasn't available, and it became something entirely different but equally delicious.
Making It Ahead and Storing It
This salad actually improves if you make it a few hours before serving—the flavors meld and deepen in a way that tastes more intentional. Keep it in the fridge covered, and pull it out about 15 minutes before serving so the mozzarella isn't ice-cold and dense. It keeps well for up to two days, though the spinach (if you use it) will wilt slightly, which honestly makes the whole thing even more tender and integrated.
Small Changes That Make a Big Difference
Once you understand the basic structure, you can adjust it endlessly without breaking what makes it work. The core is pasta, pesto, and something creamy—everything else is negotiable based on what you have or what you're craving. I've added crumbled feta, roasted chickpeas for protein, fresh corn in summer, or crispy bacon when I wanted something richer.
- Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan for about two minutes on medium heat, shaking constantly so they brown evenly and smell incredible.
- If you can't find fresh mozzarella balls, fresh burrata torn into chunks works beautifully and feels slightly more luxurious.
- A small squeeze of fresh lemon juice mixed into the pesto right before tossing brightens everything and cuts through any heaviness.
Save to Pinterest This salad taught me that sometimes the simplest meals are the ones people remember most fondly. It's become the kind of dish that feels like home in a bowl, no matter where I'm eating it.