Pesto Pasta Salad

This pesto pasta salad recipe, developed in our test kitchen by culinary expert Kathryn Hendrix, is wonderfully fresh and flavorful. 

Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this pesto pasta salad recipe: 

• Pasta: Start with your favorite fusilli or spiral pasta. 
• Tomatoes: Opt for (halved) cherry tomatoes.
• Arugula: Lend color with fresh arugula or spinach. 
• Pesto: Use store-bought pesto or make your own at home. 
• Cheese: You’ll need fresh mozzarella balls (or feta crumbles) and Parmesan cheese.
• Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise adds creaminess and tanginess. 
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice gives the pasta salad welcome brightness. 
• Seasonings: Season the pesto pasta salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make pesto pasta salad at home: 

1. Cook the pasta and reserve some of the pasta water. 
2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. 
3. Add reserved water to thin out the pesto. Season. 

Test Kitchen Tips

This recipe was developed in our test kitchen. Check out some tips and tricks from culinary experts that might make the cooking process easier: 

• If you’re making your own pesto, Kathryn says, you can use any nut or seed you want instead of pine nuts (such as walnuts or pepitas).
• Make it a protein-packed main course by adding cooked chicken or (drained) chickpeas. 
• Rinse pasta in cold water to cool it quickly and keep it from cooking further from residual heat, recommends Juliana Hale. If the pasta is warm, it can wilt the arugula and tomatoes.

How to Store Pesto Pasta Salad

Store the pesto pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. This actually makes a great make-ahead dish, as it’s served cold and the flavors will meld in the fridge over time. 

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams