A refreshing pasta salad with spinach basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
Author:Julie Andrews
Prep Time:10-15 min
Cook Time:10-15 mins
Total Time:20-30 mins + 30 min refrigeration time
Yield:Serves 8
Category:Pasta
Method:Stove-Top, No-Cook
Cuisine:Italian, American
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
12-ounces orecchiette (or other shaped pasta)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts or pepitas
¼ cup freshly shaved or shredded Parmesan
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ cup olive oil + more for garnish
½ teaspoon coarse salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh mozzarella balls
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large glass bowl.
Place spinach, basil, nuts, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped.
Add the pesto to the pasta and season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and stir to combine. Add tomatoes and mozzarella balls and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Notes
Serving Tip: Serve with a sautéed filet of salmon for a complete meal.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1/8 of recipe
Calories:218
Sugar:2g
Sodium:235mg
Fat:8g
Saturated Fat:3g
Unsaturated Fat:5g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:27g
Fiber:1g
Protein:10g
Cholesterol:16mg
Keywords: easy, healthy, summer, fresh, homemade, from scratch, best, cold