This pasta salad, is a twist on my Summer Pasta dish which is served hot, or over a bed of spaghetti squash. It’s full of fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and pine nuts. It’s perfect for a potluck or BBQ side dish. We love pasta salad. Not the grocery store kind…UGH! It’s always too sweet or slimy or something. This pasta salad recipe makes good use of summer tomatoes and fresh basil. (This recipe was published on July 3, 2012 and has been updated to contain nutritional information. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.)
After I discovered how easy the summer pasta sauce was I put it on everything! It’s delicious on this Gorgonzola Ravioli too. But I need a chilled version for the summer. This summer pasta salad is perfect for picnics, potlucks and BBQs and is perfect in a lunch box!
What’s in this summer pasta salad?
- A pound of your favorite pasta; bow-tie, penne, or fusilli.
- Marinated mini mozzarella balls. I love the the ones from either Trader Joe’s or Costco.
- Tomatoes, either cherry or regular tomatoes diced,
- fresh basil,
- parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- garlic
- toasted pine nuts
How to make this recipe
Cook and chill pasta. While pasta is cooking, make the pasta sauce. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Then toss the “sauce” with the chilled pasta. Carefully toss in the mozzarella balls. Season to taste and chill until ready to serve. It would be beautiful served in this Italian pasta serving dish.
Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta penne, fusilli, farfalle,
- 12 ounces tomatoes cherry, heirloom, or garden, halved or diced
- 1/4 cup pinenuts toasted
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup basil leaves cut chiffonade
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 8 ounces mini mozzarella balls Marinated, cut in half if desired
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl add tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, olive oil and splash of vinegar to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
- Let it sit on the counter until you're ready for it.
- Meanwhile boil pasta, drain and toss with the sauce.
- Add crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto, (optional)
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Suzi says
Lucky you hanging out in the High Sierras. It’s raining here in Florida. Love that pasta salad. Happy 4th of July to all of you up there. Thanks for the Twitter follow.
Cynthia says
Suzi , it’s beautiful here…very temperate…a bit cool in the evening which is a nice change from hot LA!
Natasha Mitchnick says
I made this recipe vegetarian without the prosciutto or gorgonzola. It was so delicious and super easy. I used fettuccine pasta and did not overcook it. My family enjoyed it so much that my husband made it for his friend group on a mini vacation.
Thanks you Cynthia
Cynthia says
Sounds great! Glad he enjoyed it.