Summer Pasta Salad Pesto Tomatoes (Printable)

A light and fresh pasta dish featuring basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and parmesan for bright, summery flavors.

# 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 Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain through a colander and rinse under cold water to cool rapidly. Reserve in a separate bowl.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic clove, and grated parmesan in a food processor. Blend until finely chopped. Add olive oil gradually while processing until a smooth sauce consistency forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add halved cherry tomatoes and arugula if desired. Mix gently to combine.
04 - Pour prepared pesto over the pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly to coat all components evenly. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed with salt and pepper.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Crown with parmesan shavings and lemon zest. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in less time than you'd spend scrolling through your phone, yet tastes like you've been in the kitchen all afternoon.
  • The homemade pesto tastes nothing like the jarred version—your guests will ask for the secret, and you get to be mysteriously humble about it.
  • It actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge, making it the perfect make-ahead dish for when people are dropping by unexpectedly.
02 -
  • Never skip rinsing the pasta after cooking—warm pasta will turn mushy and clumpy by the time you're done mixing, and your beautiful salad becomes sad.
  • Toast your pine nuts for thirty seconds longer than feels necessary; they're the backbone of your pesto and deserve to be fully awakened.
03 -
  • Make extra pesto even if you don't use it all in the salad—it freezes beautifully in ice cube trays and becomes a secret weapon for future pasta nights, soups, and sandwiches.
  • The moment you taste the pesto and think it needs more salt, hold that thought for five minutes; it always tastes different once it's mixed with the warm pasta.
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