Summer Pasta Pesto Tomatoes Mozzarella (Printable)

Colorful Italian pasta with fresh pesto, juicy tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella—ideal for warm summer days.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Cheese

03 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini or ciliegine), drained and halved
05 - 2 oz baby arugula or fresh basil leaves

→ Pesto

06 - 4 tbsp fresh basil pesto
07 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Additions

09 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a robust boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until firm to the bite. Drain with a colander and rinse under cold water to halt cooking.
02 - Transfer cooled pasta to a mixing bowl. Gently incorporate halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella halves, and baby arugula or fresh basil leaves.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together fresh basil pesto and extra-virgin olive oil until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour pesto dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss delicately to ensure uniform coating of all components.
05 - Season the salad with freshly ground black pepper. Incorporate toasted pine nuts and lemon zest for added zest and crunch, as desired.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal freshness or refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It’s so quick, you’ll barely notice you’re cooking before you’re sharing a bowl.
  • The mix of juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and punchy pesto feels fresh on hot days and always gets compliments at gatherings.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the pasta, your salad might turn sticky and lose that cool bounce.
  • Warming pesto and oil together before tossing them in made the salad taste much brighter—try it just once and you'll never go back.
03 -
  • Blanching pasta in well-salted water is the trick for deeply flavorful bites.
  • Using homemade pesto with a squeeze of lemon makes even store-bought taste brighter and fresher.
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