Pasta and pesto salad

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.

By Kathryn Hendrix, RDN, LD | Tested by Emily Nienhaus

Ingredients

12 ounces fusilli or other spiral pasta

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups packed arugula or spinach

1 cup homemade pesto or 1 (6.5-ounce) jar purchased basil pesto 1/2 cup fresh pearl mozzarella balls or cubed feta cheese

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Gather your ingredients.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Step 3

Rinse pasta under cold water to cool.

Step 4

Combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, arugula, pesto, mozzarella, Parmesan, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

Step 5

Add reserved pasta water as needed to thin out the pesto. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6

Serve immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Allrecipes.com