Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Pesto pasta salad Recipe
I do know it must be so simple as dumping pesto on pasta…. however truly, it seems I’ve some issues to say about pesto pasta salad. That’s, if you would like a great one!
My pesto pasta salad guidelines are easy – don’t skimp on pesto, don’t be shy with olive oil, prepare dinner the pasta past al dente and add the smallest dab of mayonnaise to offer it a contact of luxe in addition to enhancing leftovers.
Why? As a result of these tackle two pet-peeves I’ve about pesto pasta salads.
Firstly, the pesto pasta salad that doesn’t truly style very similar to pesto. Pasta with the faintest inexperienced color, and should you shut your eyes as you eat, it’d be spectacular should you picked it as pesto.
Secondly, the dry pesto pasta salad. Really, that’s a basic pasta salad peeve. Simply because it’s a chilly pasta, that’s no excuse for dryness! I resort to all kinds of tips to maintain issues juicy. Numerous dressing (utilizing avocado is a neat, tasty trick, as is utilizing a splash of pasta cooking water as an alternative of gallons of oil). And juicy add-ins, like roast greens, tomato and so forth. (this marinated vegetable pasta salad is a strong summer season staple).
In the present day’s trick? Simply 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. This works wonders to maintain issues further juicy right this moment – and even tomorrow whenever you pull it out from the fridge!
The one factor that may make your pesto pasta salad stand out is freshly made basil pesto. But when it’s an emergency, use the recent pesto you get from the fridge part – tastes an entire lot more energizing than off the cabinets in aisles!
1. Home made pesto
Right here’s what you want for the basil pesto.
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Recent basil leaves – Ample and wonderful worth throughout summer season!
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Parmesan – or, if you wish to actually go luxe, parmigiana reggiano.
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Pine nuts – typically, to alter issues up, I take advantage of walnuts, cashews or almonds.
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Olive oil – Or a 50/50 mixture of olive oil and grapeseed oil (which has a extra impartial flavour so let’s the basil flavour come by way of a bit of extra).
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Garlic – Only a contact. As a result of it’s uncooked, should you use an excessive amount of it may be a bit of harsh, I discover.
2. Pesto pasta salad components
And right here’s what goes into my pesto pasta salad.
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Pasta – Any brief form your coronary heart wishes! Shells, macaroni, wheels – go wild! I went spirals. I wish to reside life on the sting. 😂
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Only a dab of MAYONNAISE – Not supposed to make this a greasy mayo-laden pesto pasta salad! However a bit of dab goes a protracted solution to give pesto pasta salad an fringe of creaminess so it stays good and “juicy” even the following day. It actually makes a distinction.
Choose to skip it? Simply add a bit of further olive oil.
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Bocconcini, cherry tomatoes – My add-ins of selection, so it’s not simply all pasta. Love the combo of juicy tomato and the smooth bites of bocconcini. If you wish to skip these, simply add a bit of extra pasta. Or, use different add-ins of selection!
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Rocket/arugula – I like so as to add some kind of leafy greens into me pesto pasta salads for a touch of freshness and supply textural distinction. Rocket / arugula is nice, love the trace of peppery freshness.
Easy – however I do have a few suggestions!
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Prepare dinner the pasta past al dente so it’s fairly smooth. Why? As a result of pasta corporations up when it cools. To the purpose of arduous when refrigerated. Pre-empt this by cooking pasta a bit of longer so it’s further smooth when scorching = good texture when cool!
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Tossing order – Toss pasta, pesto and mayonnaise solely first. Then the bocconcini and tomato. Lastly, leafy greens – as pesto tends to cling to it, and we are able to’t have leafy greens hogging the pesto!
Home made pesto
It’s was easy as blitzing every little thing collectively utilizing a handheld stick, till the pesto is kind of clean. Much less clear up than utilizing a meals processor and a greater end result. Why? Learn on!
I want utilizing a handheld stick as a result of you may make the pesto smoother which I want for pasta salads. Higher protection on the pasta. I like chunky pesto for utilizing as a dip, dolloping on crostini, that type of factor, the place a little bit of texture is nice.
Bonus: handheld sticks are far simpler to wash than a meals processor! (Although you should utilize a meals processor if you should – instructions within the recipe).
Learn how to make the pesto pasta salad
Nicely, I’ve just about already given the steps, however I’ll write them out anyway!
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Prepare dinner pasta in salted water per packet time plus 1 minute so it’s further smooth, as defined above. Salted water is a should, else you’ll really feel like your pasta salad is a bit of below seasoned.
BTW, I begin my timer as quickly because the pasta goes into the boiling water, not as soon as it comes again as much as the simmer. Simply in case you’re questioning. 🙂
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Rinse the pasta below chilly working water to take away extra starch (which makes it sticky, not what we wish for pasta salad) and funky.
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Drain properly and funky.
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Pesto & mayonnaise first – Combine the pesto and mayonnaise by way of the pasta first.
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Tomato & bocconcini subsequent – Then gently combine by way of the tomato and bocconcini. We don’t need to bash up the tomato an excessive amount of.
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Leafy greens final – And lastly, toss by way of the rocket/arugula. Simply rapidly, to disperse. Don’t combine an excessive amount of else the rocket tends to get weighed down with pesto. In different phrases – the leafy greens hog the pesto, and we are able to’t have that!
Although pesto pasta salads are at their green-colour prime inside a couple of hours of constructing, it can final for two days within the fridge and retain its inexperienced color, albeit not fairly as vibrant as when freshly made.
Additionally, the opposite huge factor this pesto pasta salad has going for it’s that it’s nonetheless good and juicy the following day, and the following. I discover that chilly pasta salads (apart from mayo laden ones) are infamous for develop into dry within the fridge in a single day as a result of the pasta absorbs the dressing.
However on this one, the mixture of utilizing the correct quantity of pesto (beneficiant!) and simply 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise prevents this pasta salad from drying out.
Take it to picnics, as a aspect dish for gatherings, or take it to work for lunch. Such an excellent summer season staple! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 350g / 12oz spiral pasta (fusilli, or other of choice, 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 tbsp salt , for cooking pasta
- 2 tbsp pinenuts , toasted (sub walnuts, cashews, almonds)
- 2 cups (tightly packed) basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 50/50 grapeseed/olive oil)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (S&W, else Hellman’s, Note 2)
- 250g (1 heaped cup) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 220g/ 7 oz baby bocconcini , drained, cut in half (Note 3)
- 1 cup (tightly packed) baby rocket/arugula leaves (40g)
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- Small basil leaves , optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta – Bring 3 litres of water to the boil with the salt. Cook for the pasta packet time + 1 minute. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water. Shake off excess water well, then allow to fully cool and dry.
- Pesto – Place all ingredients in a tall jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz under pretty smooth. Not a green smoothie, we still want some visible green bits! but not chunks.
- Toss – Place pasta in a bowl, scrape in the pesto. Add mayonnaise then toss well. Add bocconcini and tomato, toss gently just to disperse. Add rocket/arugula and toss just to disperse.
- Serve – Transfer into a serving bowl. Scatter with basil leaves, if using. Serve!
Notes
Serves 4 to 5 as a meal, or 8 to 10 as a side (or more, if this is part of a larger banquet!)
1. Pesto – Homemade really is superior, but if you need to use store bought, use just shy of 1 cup. Try to get it from the fridge rather than aisle – fresher!
2. Mayonnaise is not intended to make this a creamy pasta salad. It just adds “juiciness” and prevents it from drying out – because dry pasta salads is a pet peeve of mine! If you don’t want to use mayo, add an extra 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead.
3. Baby bocconcini – small, soft mozzarella balls. They have a mild flavour, ie not salted. Fabulous in pasta salads, especially with pesto pasta salad!
4. Leftovers will keep well for 2 days though it does lose the vibrant green colour. Keep in the fridge in a very airtight container (this will preserve greenness as best as possible). Always bring to room temperature before eating, for best flavour and pasta texture.
Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings.
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