Summer Pesto Pasta Salad
Summer time! The time for busy weekends, cookouts, picnics and get-togethers galore! Your social calendar for this time of year can fill up fast, which means you might feel like you need to scramble to figure out what to bring to all these events!
If you’re like me, you never like to go somewhere you’ve been invited empty-handed. This is always helpful for the host, but I personally agonize over deciding what to make. So. Many. Options. Do I bring a dessert, or a side? Or maybe a dip? Or maybe just something to drink? Or all of the above to make sure the invite was worth it?! Luckily I’ve learned that sometimes simple is better, and more often than not, delicious. This Summer Pesto Pasta Salad is exactly that!
Simple ingredients, super quick and easy to make, what could be better? And if you want to brag about making your own pesto, go for it! I love this recipe because it’s flexible and has room for options. You could include pasta or leave it out if you want it to be a little lighter, and also use any variety of pasta you’d like if you choose to include it. You could add chicken or another protein to pack more of a punch. It’s great as a side, but also makes a delicious dinner on those hot summer nights that you want to cook as little as possible. If you’re bringing this along to a cookout or party, it’s also really easy to double it or make a bigger batch if you’re expecting a lot of people.
So have no fear this year, your summer pasta salad is here!
Enjoy!
-S
Ingredients:
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 avocados, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1/ 3 cup red onion, diced
8 oz mozzarella balls
1 cup (or more depending on your ratio preference) of your favorite pasta
For the dressing:
¼ cup basil pesto
1 tbs lemon juice
Salt & pepper, to taste
Method:
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, drain, and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, red onion, and mozzarella balls.
In a small bowl, whisk together pesto, lemon juice, and salt and pepper until well combined.
Add pasta to the large bowl and mix so pasta is evenly distributed. Add the pesto dressing and toss to combine.