Pesto Pasta Salad

This Pesto Pasta Salad is a fresh, vibrant dish that combines perfectly cooked pasta with homemade basil pesto. Tossed with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and pepperoncini, it’s a flavorful and satisfying side dish that comes together in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients

• For the Pasta Salad:
  
  

  • 1 lb pasta (cavatelli or penne)
    
    

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    
    

  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-sized pieces
    
    

  • ½ cup finely chopped red onion
    
    

  • ¼ cup chopped pepperoncini
    
    

  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
    
    

• For the Basil Pesto:
  
  

  • 3 cups basil leaves
    
    

  • ½ cup olive oil
    
    

  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
    
    

  • ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
    
    

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    
    

  • 2 cloves garlic
    
    

  • 1 tsp sea salt
    
    

  • ¼ tsp black pepper
    
    

Directions

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender. Drain and rinse well under cold water.
   
   

2. Make the Pesto: In a food processor, combine fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth and creamy.
   
   

3. Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, pesto, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pepperoncini, and parsley. Toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
   
   

4. Chill: For best flavor, refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavors will meld together and taste even better the next day.
   
   

Nutritional Value (per serving)

• Calories: 287 kcal
  
  

• Carbohydrates: 7 g
  
  

• Protein: 10 g
  
  

• Fat: 25 g
  
  

• Saturated Fat: 7 g
  
  

• Cholesterol: 26 mg
  
  

• Sodium: 834 mg
  
  

• Potassium: 350 mg
  
  

• Fiber: 2 g
  
  

• Sugar: 4 g
  
  

• Vitamin A: 1210 IU
  
  

• Vitamin C: 17 mg
  
  

• Calcium: 221 mg
  
  

• Iron: 2 mg