Pasta Salad with Pesto is a light refreshing yet filling main dish ideal for lunch, picnics and snacks. This vegetarian mixture uses the flavours of the fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella and garlic to maximum effect. This fusilli dish has flavour, body and looks stunning. I know that when we are out and about a Tupperware box of pasta salad keeps everyone going. This dish is brilliant when the pasta is hot but make in advance and chill in the fridge if having later.

Pasta Salad with Pesto

A simple salad you can make in advance full of amazing flavours ana colours.

4.72 from 57 votes

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Course: Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Cheese, Fusilli, Herbs, Parmesan, Pasta, Pesto, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 27

Servings: People

Calories: 777kcal

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

180 g fusilli
150 g green beans sliced
10 large plum tomatoes halved
10 medium sun dried tomatoes with oil
125 g mozzarella torn up
5 g rocket arugula
salt
ground pepper

Pesto Ingredients

25 g basil Plus garnish
2 cloves garlic peel
30 g parmesan grated
25 g pine nuts
extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Add a large saucepan of salted water to the stove and add a good pinch of salt. Put the lid on and turn the heat to high. Cook according to the packet instructions.
180 g fusilli
While the pasta is cooking its time to make the pesto. Add the basil leaves to a food processor along with the garlic and 3/4 of the pine nuts.
25 g basil, 25 g pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic
Season with salt and pepper and then blitz until roughly chopped. Add 3 – 4 tbsp of olive oil to the processor and blitz again until smoother. Add another 2 tbsp of oil and blitz again until nearly smooth. Pesto should a bit of body. Transfer the pesto to a bowl making sure to use a spatula to clean the sides and then add the grated parmesan cheese. Cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
salt, ground pepper, extra virgin olive oil, 30 g parmesan
When the pasta is nearly done, add the green beans for the last 2 – 3 minutes. When cooked, drain into a colander and then place the pasta and beans under cold running water to stop them from cooking. Once cool, leave to drain fully.
150 g green beans
Add the pasta and green beans into a large serving dish and scatter both the tomatoes and the sun dried tomatoes over the top.
10 large plum tomatoes, 10 medium sun dried tomatoes
Add the mozzarella and a little drizzle of olive oil and gently mix together.
125 g mozzarella
Scatter the remaining pine nuts, rocket/arugula and add the pesto with a little garnish of basil.
5 g rocket