Easy-to-Make Pesto Pasta Salad

Published Jun 27, 2024 By Elle Ann

Image credit: Mr. Make It Happen via YouTube

Pasta salad is a classic and staple dish in almost every household, especially for cookouts or gatherings, and pesto is one of the best and most favorite flavors of all time. Pesto pasta salad is a very simple and easy dish to prepare because all you have to do is cook the pasta itself and then toss everything together with a yummy pesto sauce.

You can buy a ready-made pesto sauce from the store or you can make it at home, but if you prefer the latter then this recipe by Mr. Make It Happen on YouTube is perfect for you. Making a homemade pesto sauce is easier than you think and it tastes even better because you can adjust the flavor according to your preference. Learn how now by watching the video tutorial below.

Ingredients for Pesto Pasta Salad:

1 pound of bowtie pasta
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of fresh basil, chopped
½ cup of parsley, chopped
½ cup of pine nuts
¼ cup of olive oil
1-2 shallots, diced
1 cup of mozzarella balls
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, chopped
12oz of pepperoni
¼ cup of parmesan cheese
2 tbsp of lemon juice
Salt and pepper or all-purpose seasoning, to taste
½ cup of sun-dried tomatoes
1 tbsp of salad seasoning
Celery salt, to taste

How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad:

Step 1

Prepare all of the ingredients, then in a blender, add in the basil, parsley, and pine nuts, and blend them until coarse. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil followed by the lemon juice and garlic, then continue to blend to combine, and then mix in the parmesan cheese.

Step 2

While making the pesto sauce, boil some water in a pot, then add a bit of salt, and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain off all the water, then set it aside, and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Step 3

Chop up or slice the ingredients into smaller bite-sized pieces, then add everything to a large bowl including the pasta, and season them to taste. Drizzle the pesto sauce, then add the mozzarella balls, and gently toss everything together to combine. Serve and enjoy!