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Anytime I have an abundance of basil in my garden, I immediately start thinking about making pesto sauce. And when the weather warms up, there’s nothing better than turning that pesto into a refreshing pasta salad. It’s light yet filling, bursting with flavor, and comes together so quickly—it’s one of those dishes that feels effortless but looks and tastes beautiful.
What I love most about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can use spiral pasta, penne, bowtie, or any shape you have on hand—whatever catches the pesto best. The sauce itself is simple but packed with flavor: fresh basil, roasted garlic, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.
When it comes to balsamic vinegar, I’m a big fan of using a thicker, richer balsamic. It adds a beautiful depth and subtle sweetness to the pesto that you just don’t get with thinner varieties. It rounds out all the bright, fresh notes and gives the sauce that perfect balance of richness and acidity.
When making pesto, I always use lots of basil leaves—the fresher, the better. I like to toast the pine nuts lightly until they turn golden and aromatic, which adds a beautiful nutty flavor. And if you have a little extra pesto, it’s amazing spread on toast, drizzled over grilled vegetables, or stirred into soup.
For the salad itself, I toss the pasta with mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, and baby mixed greens. The textures are perfect together—creamy, juicy, and crisp—and the pesto brings it all to life. A little lemon zest adds brightness, while the balsamic vinegar gives a hint of depth that makes the flavors sing.
This is the kind of dish that feels made for summer afternoons. You can make it ahead of time and serve it chilled or at room temperature—it’s perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a quick garden lunch.
Simple, vibrant, and full of freshness, this basil pesto pasta salad is one of those recipes that tastes like sunshine in a bowl.
Basil Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce:
- 4 garlic cloves or roasted garlic cloves
- ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp chili pepper flakes
- 6 cups basil
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon zest, from a whole lemon
Pasta:
- 1 lb pasta, spriral, penne, bowtie or any pasta shape of your choice
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
Salad:
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese balls
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups baby mixed greens
- pasta
- pesto sauce
Instructions
- To roast the garlic, take garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat thoroughly. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, turning it halfway. If they are smaller garlic cloves then perhaps you only need to roast them for 2 minutes. Just keep a close eye on them.
- If your pine nuts are not toasted already, then drizzle pine nuts with olive oil and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes until they turn a nice light golden brown.
- In a food processor, puree all the ingredients together, minus the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Transfer basil mix to a bowl, then add olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix together.
- Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the package. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to pot of water.
- Rinse pasta in cold water and drain.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together and serve!
Nutrition
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