Summer Pasta Salad Pesto Tomatoes (Printable)

A vibrant pasta dish with fresh basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and parmesan ideal for warm days.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Pesto

03 - 1.75 oz fresh basil leaves
04 - 1.4 oz pine nuts, lightly toasted
05 - 1 garlic clove
06 - 1.75 oz parmesan cheese, grated
07 - 3.4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Salad Components

09 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1.75 oz baby arugula, optional
11 - 1 oz parmesan shavings for garnish
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Transfer to a shallow dish.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic clove, and grated parmesan in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in olive oil until a smooth sauce forms. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
03 - Place cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add halved cherry tomatoes and baby arugula if desired. Pour pesto over the mixture and toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter. Scatter parmesan shavings and lemon zest over the top. Serve immediately for peak freshness, or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in about 25 minutes, which means you can have lunch ready before you've finished your first coffee.
  • Homemade pesto tastes nothing like the jar version—that fresh basil flavor reminds you why you started cooking in the first place.
  • It's equally at home at a picnic blanket or a weeknight table, and tastes just as good hours later when everything has gotten to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't cook your pasta too far ahead and let it sit in a hot bowl—that's how it goes from tender to mushy while you're still prepping other things.
  • Toast your pine nuts yourself, even if it feels like an extra step; store-bought toasted ones often taste stale, and raw ones are sharp and disappointing.
  • Pesto oxidizes and turns dark if you let it sit too long after making it, so mix it with the pasta as soon as both are ready.
03 -
  • Make your pesto in a mortar and pestle if you have the time and patience; it's gentler on the basil and keeps the color brighter longer than a food processor.
  • Buy your parmesan in a wedge and use a vegetable peeler to create those beautiful shavings for the top—it's faster than you think and looks worth the effort.
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