This simple Summer Pesto Pasta Salad recipe is a staple out our house. We could eat this all summer long for lunch, served with BBQ, or as a light dinner on a hot day. Bright basil pesto is tossed with tomatoes, olives, & rotini for a yummy Italian-inspired side dish.
Why this Cold Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe is the Best: The colorful corkscrew pasta with tomatoes, olives, & a cheesy pesto dressing comes together in just 15 minutes.
I have been making this salad since college. It has inexpensive pantry staples which is great for anyone on a budget.
This was inspired by my recipe for Orzo Pasta Salad another side with Mediterranean ingredients, and pairs well with a Flank Steak & Gorgonzola Sandwich. Ok, now we cook!
Ingredients
All this takes is a few ingredients to make. Most are pantry staples including premade pesto or make your own from scratch.
Here are the ingredients needed to make ....
- Rotini Pasta - the tri-color spiral-shaped pasta makes this pretty & allows the dressing to cling in the grooves.
- Basil Pesto - classic Genoese-style with pine nuts, basil, garlic, & parmesan is the best. Kirkland from Costco or jarred Barilla Pesto are my favorites.
- Cherry Tomatoes - fresh small tomatoes but into bite-sized pieces.
- Olives - pitted black and/or green olives cut into slices.
- Olive Oil - for dressing the salad.
- Red Wine Vinegar - the tangy acid brings the vinaigrette dressing together.
- Salt & Pepper - optional, to taste
- Parmesan Cheese - shredded, shaved, or grated from fresh lends the most sharp nutty flavor & texture.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad
Just 2 easy steps to make this recipe for cold pasta salad with basil pesto dressing. Once the pot of water is boiling, it's ready in 15 minutes. Great for a last minute lunch, side, or meatless meal idea.
Here are the easy steps for making this recipe:
- Prep Pasta & Ingredients
- Make Dressing & Toss
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Prep Pasta & Ingredients
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Once ready, add the tri-color rotini pasta, stir, & let simmer over medium heat until it is al dente.
This takes about 8-10 minutes. DO NOT overcook or the pasta salad will be mushy especially once dressing is added.
While the pasta is cooking, slice the pitted black olives & cut the cherry tomatoes. Both should be in bite-sized pieces.
Drain & rinse the pasta with cold water in a colander once it is done cooking. When making a salad, pasta does not need the starchiness like it does for hot sauced dishes. It is ok to rinse it & is better for overall texture & flavor.
2 - Make Dressing & Toss
Once the pasta is cold, add it to a large mixing bowl. Top with the tomatoes and olives.
In a small mixing bowl add the 3 ingredients for the dressing. Whisk to combine.
Pour the pesto dressing over the pasta salad. Gently toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend topping this with shaved or shredded parmesan cheese. Serve immediately or let it marinate and chill for an hour in the refrigerator first - this allows the flavors to really come together.
What to Serve with Pesto Pasta : if serving this as a side, it goes great with any grilled/BBQ, roasted or baked meat, fish, or poultry. Here are a few favorite main dishes that pair well with this recipe:
- GRILLED ITALIAN CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
- PAN SEARED GARLIC SHRIMP
- SMOKED BEEF SHORT RIBS
- INSTANT POT ITALIAN SAUSAGE & PEPPERS
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 Tip - DO NOT overcook the pasta, al dente is best.
- Customize it with any veggies; add leftover cooked zucchini or broccoli, sliced onions, or artichoke hearts.
- Swap out regular pasta for gluten-free if needed.
- This pasta salad has no mayo so I brought it to a pool potluck with friends since it can sit out and not spoil for hours.
- Make homemade Genovese pesto instead of buying it premade which I do when our basil is doing well in the garden otherwise Kirkland is my go to premade.
- This recipe can easily be made for a crowd by doubling or tripling it for big parties, game day tailgating, picnics, beach day, and large events. (it travels well too for potlucks!)
FAQ
Even though it has no meat it in, the pesto is not vegan or vegetarian. Parmesan cheese uses animal rennet in the cheese making process.
Here are other short pasta shapes that are great substitutes for rotini: fusilli, radiatore, cavatappi, or penne rigate. Any with grooves or ridges to hold the dressing is best.
Summer Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound Tri-Color Rotini Pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 can black olives drained, pitted, & sliced
- 1 cup Pesto Sauce premade or homemade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup additional parmesan cheese shredded or shaved
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Once the water is ready, add the box of pasta & stir. Bring the heat down to medium-high to cook the pasta until al dente.* DO NOT overcook, should be ready in about 8-10 minutes.1 pound Tri-Color Rotini Pasta
- While the pasta is cooking cut the tomatoes and olives. Set aside.2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 can black olives
- Once the pasta is ready, drain in a colander in the sink. Rinse the pasta will cold water to remove the starch and bring down the temperature. ** Cold pasta salad needs this rinse unlike hot pasta dishes where that starchy water is liquid gold.
- To a large serving bowl add the cold cooked pasta, diced tomatoes, & sliced olives.
- In a small bowl add the pesto, olive oil, & vinegar. Whisk to combine and pour over the other ingredients. Gently toss to coat.1 cup Pesto Sauce, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Season with salt & pepper to taste. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for an hour to let the flavors marinate.½ cup additional parmesan cheese
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Note: additional dressing may need to be added to freshen it up.
- Pasta - use gluten-free if needed for dietary reasons. Try other shapes like: fusilli, radiatore, cavatappi, or penne rigate.
- Tomatoes - use chopped sun-dried tomatoes if fresh tomatoes are not in season.
- Parmesan - use your favorite shredded Italian cheese instead; mozzarella, pecorino, gorgonzola, etc.
Nutrition
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Jennifer Wise says
I love the pesto-tomato combination. This sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing this post with us at the Will Blog for Comments #47 linkup. Hope to see you sharing more next time at #48, which opens Monday.