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Pesto Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Pesto Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Spiral pasta tossed with basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, cucumber and a squeeze of lemon is a pasta salad that tastes fresh even on the third day. It is good for packed lunches, picnics and as a side dish for anything grilled.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz short pasta rotini, fusilli or farfalle
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto homemade or store-bought
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or a ball cut into cubes
  • 1 small cucumber diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts or sunflower seeds toasted
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves torn
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta 1 minute past al dente, since pasta firms up as it cools.
  2. Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and rinse briefly with cool water just to stop the cooking, then drain well.
  3. In a large bowl mix the pesto, lemon juice, olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Add the pasta and toss to coat.
  4. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then fold in the tomatoes, mozzarella, cucumber and onion.
  5. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter the toasted nuts and torn basil over the top just before serving.

Notes

  • Rinsing is the one exception to the rule about not rinsing pasta: it stops cold pasta salad from clumping.
  • Refresh leftovers with a spoonful of pasta water or lemon juice before eating, since the pasta absorbs the dressing.