This pesto pasta salad is perfect for a summer picnic or as a side for a barbecue. Use homemade pesto for best results. Feel free to customize the salad with additional vegetables to your liking.
This pesto pasta salad recipe, developed in our test kitchen by culinary expert Kathryn Hendrix, is wonderfully fresh and flavorful.
INGREDIENTS
Pasta: Start with your favorite fusilli or spiral pasta. Tomatoes: Opt for (halved) cherry tomatoes. Arugula: Lend color with fresh arugula or spinach. Pesto: Use store-bought pesto or make your own at home.
Cheese: You’ll need fresh mozzarella balls (or feta crumbles) and Parmesan cheese. Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise adds creaminess and tanginess. Lemon juice: Lemon juice gives the pasta salad welcome brightness. Seasonings: Season the pesto pasta salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make pesto pasta salad at home:
Cook the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Add reserved water to thin out the pesto. Season.
Test Kitchen Tips This recipe was developed in the Epicurious test kitchen. Here are some more tips and techniques from our culinary staff to help you along the way:
If you're using homemade pesto, adds Kathryn, don't hesitate to substitute another type of nut or seed for the pine nuts (walnuts or pepitas work particularly well).