Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
This pesto pasta salad recipe is simple, delicious, and so easy to make. Make this cold pesto pasta dish as the perfect side dish for any meal, or as a light lunch.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 1 box pasta 16 ounces)
- ¾ cup pesto homemade or store bought
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 package mini mozzarella pearls 8 ounce
- 1 cucumber peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Rinse the pasta under cool water to stop the cooking pro-cess.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto with ¼ cup of pasta water. Add the pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, cucumber, and pine nuts. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- If you’re using an English cucumber, there’s no need to peel it first.
- You can use your favorite dried pasta shape-- or whatever you have on hand.
Nutrition
Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 786IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg