Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella

This red pesto pasta salad with prosciutto and mozzarella is a vibrant Mediterranean-style dish built around sun-dried tomato pesto, fresh herbs, and a very subtle touch of lavender. Used sparingly, the lavender doesn’t make the salad taste floral; instead, it adds a soft herbal aroma that blends naturally with the savoury elements, enhancing the overall flavour without overpowering it.

Hello, folks! How are you doing? I hope you all have had a good weekend and are now ready for a new week. (I am not, really! That’s why I am having additional time off on Monday and Tuesday, haha.)

Today, I am excited to share with you another savoury recipe featuring lavender. This Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella (and a few other tasty ingredients), to be precise. And if this sounds peculiar to you, please don’t be too skeptical.

Pasta and Lavender Together?

I have already quoted the book “Cooking with Lavender” by Nancy Baggett on a few occasions. This is the only book I have tried multiple recipes from and shared the results here. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of this book for me is the section on pairings. Before reading this book, I was not aware that lavender pairs well with so many savory ingredients.

• It pairs well with tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Nuts and lavender are also a great pairing.
• It goes well with pasta, couscous (and more couscous), pearl couscous, and rice. Really, with all carbs, I think. Please also check my most recent pasta recipe Pasta Salad with Lavender, Ham and Mozzarella
• Next, potatoes are excellent pairing, too.
• Chickpeas are another great pairing.
• And say what? Even with corn.
• Certainly, meat.
• And also with watermelons and melons.

Why You’ll Love This Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella?

• Mediterranean and balanced. Sun-dried tomato pesto, olive oil, and fresh herbs create a rich but not heavy flavour profile.
• Lavender used thoughtfully. Just a hint adds aroma and complexity, not a floral taste.
• Light and fresh. This pasta salad is dressed without mayonnaise, making it feel bright and summery.
• Great contrast of textures. Tender pasta, creamy mozzarella, silky prosciutto, and chewy sun-dried tomatoes work beautifully together.
• Perfect for warm weather meals. Ideal for picnics, potlucks, or make-ahead lunches when you want something flavourful but not heavy.

Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella

As we have just established, pasta and lavender pair well together, as well as with cheese, meats, and tomatoes. Thus, this is a perfect combination of flavours. To make this Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella, you will need the following ingredients:

• Pasta of your choice. Any short pasta, such as penne, farfalle, and fusilli a good choice. Be sure to cook al dente and then rinse it to stop the cooking process (from the residual heat) and prevent pasta from sticking.
• Red pesto, also known as sun-dried tomato pesto. Any good store-bought pesto will work, but of course, you can use homemade.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – add a tang and chewiness.
• Prosciutto – adds pleasant chewiness, saltiness, and flavour. You can dice up fresh prosciutto (as I did) or cook it with a little oil for a few minutes to make it crispy.
• Pizza mozzarella, or other hard cheese of your choice.
• Olives – black or green olives of your choice.
• Arugula for an added peppery kick.
• Extra virgin olive oil – for the dressing.
• Balsamic vinegar – for the dressing.
• Dried lavender buds – for the dressing and a subtle herbal aroma. Be sure to finely mince or rub it to distribute the flavour all the way through.
• Herbs de Provence – for the dressing.
• Salt and pepper – optional. I added a little black pepper and omitted salt, due to the saltiness of other ingredients.

Possible Additions

You can make this Red Pesto Pasta Salad even more exciting by adding other additions, including:

• Fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, and parsley for added flavour.
• Cherry tomatoes/or cucumbers for added freshness.
• Swap prosciutto for cooked ham or salami.
• Add toasted pine nuts for a pleasant nutty sweetness.
• Add a few canned chipotle peppers for a little spicy, smoky kick.

Can You Make Red Pesto Pasta Salad in Advance?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, it will be even better the next day as the flavours continue to develop and mingle. The salad will stay fresh and nice for 3-4 days when refrigerated.

If you’re making it in advance, I recommend adding arugula just a few hours before serving so it stays nice and fresh.

More Pasta Salad Ideas

Please be sure to check more pasta salads:

• Pasta Salad with Lavender, Ham and Mozzarella
• Pasta Salad with Artichokes, Mozzarella, and Salami
• Pasta Salad with Salami, Mozzarella and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
• Pesto Pasta Salad
• Ham Pasta Salad
• Pasta Salad with Creamy Lavender Sauce

I hope you like this Red Pesto Pasta Salad, and you will try it soon. If you make it, please let me know in this post, send me an Instagram message, or share your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

This Red Pesto Pasta Salad with Lavender, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella is a tasty summer pasta salad recipe featuring Mediterranean flavours along with a pleasant herbaceous hint from lavender.

Course: Slaws and All-Season SaladsDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 2 votes

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Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 2 cups (~225 g.) dry pasta or 4 1/2 cups (~800 g.) cooked pasta – use short type pasta of your choice, e.g. fusilli, farfalle, penne, etc.

• 1/3 cup (80 g.) sun-dried tomato pesto

• 1/2 cup (120 g.) sun-dried tomatoes in oil,
  drained and sliced

• 150-200 g. pizza mozzarella, cubed

• 150 g. prosciutto, diced up

• 1 cup (about 180 g.) olives, halved or sliced

• few handfuls of arugula

• 1 tsp. dried lavender buds, finely minced or rubbed

• 1/2 tbsp. Herbs de Provence

• 3 tbsp. (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil

• 1-2 tbsp. (15-30 ml) balsamic vinegar

• salt and pepper, optional, if needed

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the Herbs de Provence, minced lavender, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and let it stay 15 minutes to soften the herbs.
• Bring a large pot with well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (check the package for recommended cook time). Drain and rinse well under cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and add the olive oil lavender dressing and red pesto, mix to coat. Add the mozzarella, prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Toss to combine. Try and season, if necessary. Stir in the arugula. You can serve it right away, but it will only be better when refrigerated for at least 1-2 hours.