Italian Pesto Pasta Salad recipe
All Recipes Salad Pasta Salad Recipes Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package corkscrew-shaped pasta (fusilli) 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cups chopped fresh basil ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ cup toasted pine nuts ½ lemon, juiced ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste 2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered 1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, cubed 4 stalks celery, diced ½ sweet onion, diced
Nutrition Info
- 348.7 caloriescarbohydrate: 37.9 gcholesterol: 17.9 mgfat: 16.2 gfiber: 3 gprotein: 15.4 gsaturatedFat: 4.7 gservingSize: -sodium: 235.2 mgsugar: 2.6 gtransFat: : -unsaturatedFat: : -
Directions Italian Pesto Pasta Salad
Directions
-
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 cup pasta water, drain pasta, rinse in cold water, and return to the pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Combine basil, parsley, and garlic in a food processor, pulse until combined. Add toasted pine nuts and lemon juice and pulse until well combined. Add Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup olive oil while processor is running, blend well. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
Place pasta into a large mixing bowl and stir in pesto. Add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to thin slightly and continue to mix until pasta is thoroughly coated, add more pasta water as needed. Mix tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, celery, and onion into the salad until well combined.
Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend together, or eat right away.