Ingredients
Vegetables and Pasta
- 1 pound fusilli pasta
- 1 pound summer squash or zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces snap or snow peas, cut on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 medium red onion, sliced crosswise into thin 1-inch long slices
- 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
Dairy
- 8 ounces bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella balls), drained and halved
Condiments and Seasonings
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 cup Basil Pesto
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Get ready. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with kosher salt to enhance the pasta’s flavor during cooking.
- Cook pasta and blanch veggies. Add the fusilli to the boiling water and cook until al dente—about one minute less than the package instructions. Before draining, scoop out about one cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside. Remove the pasta from heat, then immediately stir in the sliced summer squash, snap peas, and red onion to blanch them slightly. Drain the pasta and vegetables through a large colander to stop cooking.
- Toss with Basil Pesto. Return the drained pasta and vegetables to the pot, then stir in the basil pesto thoroughly to coat everything evenly. If the salad seems too thick, thin the pesto mixture with a drizzle of the reserved pasta cooking water for a better consistency. Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes, then transfer the salad to a serving dish. Allow to cool slightly before proceeding.
- Add cheese and seasonings. Once the pasta mixture has cooled, stir in the halved bocconcini mozzarella balls and sprinkle in the optional red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust the salt seasoning as needed for balance.
- Chill and serve. You can serve the pasta salad immediately or chill it completely in the refrigerator for enhanced flavor melding. When ready to serve, drizzle the lemon juice over the salad and stir in half of the torn basil leaves. Taste once more and add salt if necessary. Scatter the remaining basil leaves over the top as a fresh garnish before serving.
Notes
- This pasta salad can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated to allow the flavors to meld.
- Use fresh basil pesto for the best aromatic flavor; store-bought pesto works well, too.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes according to your heat preference or omit for a milder taste.
- If bocconcini is unavailable, small mozzarella pearls or cubed fresh mozzarella can be used as a substitute.
- For a vegan version, replace bocconcini with a plant-based mozzarella alternative and use vegan pesto.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
