Super Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
Bright, fresh, and effortlessly delicious, Super Easy Pesto Pasta Salad is the ultimate quick-fix recipe for busy weeknights, summer barbecues, or picnic outings. Featuring tender pasta tossed with vibrant pesto sauce, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls, and crisp baby spinach, this dish delivers bold flavors with minimal effort. Optional toasted pine nuts add a delightful crunch, while a drizzle of olive oil and simple seasoning bring everything together in perfect harmony. Ready in just 25 minutes, this pasta salad is both a satisfying side dish and a light, refreshing main course. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a crowd-pleasing meal packed with Mediterranean-inspired goodness!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 300 grams pasta (fusilli or penne)
- 150 grams pesto sauce
- 200 grams cherry tomatoes
- 200 grams fresh mozzarella balls
- 100 grams baby spinach leaves
- 30 grams pine nuts (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.25 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down quickly. Set aside.
While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes and set them aside.
If using pine nuts, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and baby spinach leaves.
Drizzle olive oil over the salad and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Toss everything together until well combined.
If using, add the toasted pine nuts on top for an extra crunch.
Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
585 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 43.9 g | 56% | |
| Saturated Fat | 10.9 g | 54% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.8 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 33 mg | 11% | |
| Sodium | 788 mg | 34% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 31.1 g | 11% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.3 g | 12% | |
| Total Sugars | 4.5 g | ||
| Protein | 18.7 g | 37% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.3 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 370 mg | 28% | |
| Iron | 2.5 mg | 14% | |
| Potassium | 469 mg | 10% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
