Description
A colorful and flavorful pasta salad featuring creamy mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, and aromatic basil pesto for a delightful summer-inspired dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (short shape like rotini, bowties, or shells)
- 1 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls or mozzarella (diced)
- 0.25 cup fresh basil (chopped)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well, and rinse briefly under cool water to halt the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooled pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced mozzarella, and chopped basil into the bowl. Toss gently to ensure everything is evenly coated in the delightful dressing.
- Taste the salad and adjust with more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or a bit of extra pesto if desired. Serve immediately or chill for a refreshing twist before serving.
Notes
For a vegan version, substitute Greek yogurt with cashew cream and mozzarella with vegan cheese. Prepare ahead for quick assembly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg