Summer Pasta Salad Pesto (Print View)

A fresh blend of pasta, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and parmesan for bright, flavorful dining.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.6 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Pesto

03 - 1.8 oz fresh basil leaves
04 - 1.4 oz pine nuts, lightly toasted
05 - 1 garlic clove
06 - 1.8 oz parmesan cheese, grated
07 - 3.4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Salad Add-ins

09 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1.8 oz baby arugula, optional
11 - 1.1 oz parmesan shavings for garnish
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool quickly. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and grated parmesan in a food processor. Blend until finely chopped. Gradually add olive oil while blending until smooth sauce forms. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, and arugula if using.
04 - Add pesto to pasta mixture and toss thoroughly to coat. Adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Transfer salad to serving platter. Top with parmesan shavings and lemon zest. Serve immediately or chill up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, perfect when unexpected guests arrive on a warm evening.
  • Homemade pesto tastes nothing like the jarred version, and people always ask how you made it taste so alive.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead except the final toss, making it ideal for potlucks and picnics where you're packing food to travel.
02 -
  • Pesto oxidizes and turns dark green or brown if you make it too far ahead, so blend it no more than an hour before serving unless you cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent air exposure.
  • If your pesto looks too thick after blending, it's because you didn't add enough oil—fix it by drizzling more in slowly while pulsing, not all at once.
03 -
  • If pine nuts feel too expensive or hard to find, toasted walnuts or almonds work beautifully and cost half as much while tasting almost as good.
  • Use a microplane to zest your lemon so you get only the aromatic yellow part, not the bitter white pith underneath.
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