Pesto Pasta Salad

This Pesto Pasta Salad recipe is loaded up with some of the most delicious ingredients that would scream “Italy!” Pasta combined with cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, toasted pine nuts, fresh basil and tossed with basil pesto – what not to love about this tasty salad?

Hey folks – how are you doing? I hope this week has been treating you well, and you are ready for the weekend. And I bet it is a short week for most of my American readers; lucky you!

As some of you may have read a few posts ago, we had some renovations that made our pets (but mostly Daisy) stressed out. We knew that any new or unusual environment could cause anxiety or even depression in pets, but we never would have expected it would be a long-lasting thing (nor it could be that bad). Anyway, Daisy’s appetite significantly reduced and she kept sleeping most of the day. Naturally, she would also lost interest in any activities like being outdoor (and that’s summer – we rarely see her home these days!) That continued even once all renovations were over and all unknown people disappeared, so we brought her to the vet.

The vet did not find any indications of being physically unwell – so just as we thought, pure cat was stressed out.

But long story short, the vet prescribed her anxiety medication (which made her even more sleepy for a few days), but it definitely helped – and she is 100% back to her normal behavior and activities now.

The only thing is that we are having the second round of reno (siding) in a week or so, but the vet assured the meds would help Daisy to go through this time as well.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Anyway, let’s talk about this delicious Pesto Pasta Salad!

It is absolutely easy to make, but the flavour profile is exceptional.

To make it, you will need short type of pasta (e.g., fusilli, farfalle, etc.), mozzarella (I used mini but you can simply slice a large ball), cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, arugula, and classic pesto. I used a store-bough jar, but you can grab homemade.

It is quite versatile, too. You can swap or add in many other ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, or even deli meats like salami or prosciutto. In fact, you can also play with different types of pesto (red pesto would be amazing!)

More Pasta Salads to Try

And don’t forget to check some other pasta salad ideas:

Pasta Salad with Creamy Lavender Sauce

Ham Pasta Salad

Roasted Beetroot Pasta Salad

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

Cheers!

Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.