Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

Name: Pesto Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 ounces, weight Short Fusilli Or Rotini (corkscrew) Pasta; 1/3 cups Prepared Pesto; 1/2 cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese; 1/2 cups Mayonnaise; 1/2 cups Sour Cream; 1/4 cups Milk, More For Thinning; 1/2 teaspoons Salt; 1/2 teaspoons Pepper; 1 head (large) Romaine Lettuce, Sliced Into 1-inch Pieces; 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, Halved; 1/2 cups Black Or Kalamata Olives, Halved; 4 ounces, weight Mozzarella Cheese, Cut Into Cubes; 4 Tablespoons Pine Nuts (optional); 8 Extra Parmesan, For Sprinkling

Servings: persons

8 ounces, weight Short Fusilli Or Rotini (corkscrew) Pasta
1/3 cups Prepared Pesto
1/2 cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cups Mayonnaise
1/2 cups Sour Cream
1/4 cups Milk, More For Thinning
1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoons Pepper
1 head (large) Romaine Lettuce, Sliced Into 1-inch Pieces
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, Halved
1/2 cups Black Or Kalamata Olives, Halved
4 ounces, weight Mozzarella Cheese, Cut Into Cubes
4 Tablespoons Pine Nuts (optional)
8 Extra Parmesan, For Sprinkling

1
Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Then drain it and rinse in cold water. Allow pasta to dry slightly, then toss in a bowl with 4 tablespoons pesto. (Add more if you want the pasta to be more coated.) Add Parmesan and toss. Cover and refrigerate pasta until cold.
2
Make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and milk with the rest of the pesto. Add salt and pepper, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The dressing needs to be somewhat thin and pourable in order to coat the lettuce and pasta later. Set the dressing aside.
3
If you're using pine nuts, toast them over medium-low heat in a small skillet until they brown slightly. Set them aside.
4
To assemble the salads, make a bed of lettuce in a large bowl, then add a generous layer of pesto-coated pasta. Add tomatoes, olives, and chunks of cheese. Spoon a good amount of dressing all over the top; it should be thin enough to seep down into the salad, not so thick it will stay on top of everything.
5
Sprinkle salads with pine nuts and a little extra Parmesan and serve!

1619

kcal

Calories

106

Fat

Carbs

102

Protein

Fat Carbs Protein

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

No additional tips available.

No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.

How did you like this recipe?

This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

You need 14 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 8 ounces, weight Short Fusilli Or Rotini (corkscrew) Pasta, 1/3 cups Prepared Pesto, 1/2 cups Shredded Parmesan Cheese, 1/2 cups Mayonnaise, and more.

Yes, Pesto Pasta Salad falls under the Pasta & Noodles category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

Keep refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoy within 1–2 days for the best freshness. Best served cold — no reheating needed.

Pesto Pasta Salad

How did you like this recipe?

Frequently Asked Questions