Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas, Pine Nuts & Mozzarella Pearls
Total Time
30 Minutes
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Rating
4.79 out of 5 stars
(62)
Ingredients
8-10 servings
- 1 pound fusilli pasta
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup homemade or store-bought pesto
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1½ cups frozen peas, defrosted, divided
- ¾ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted (see note)
- One 8-oz package mozzarella pearls
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil, for serving
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Preparation
Step 1
Cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water until fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
Step 2
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, purée the pesto, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the peas. Add the mayonnaise and purée until smooth.
Step 3
Add the pesto-pea mixture to the cooled pasta, along with the Parmesan, ¾ cup of the peas, 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts, the mozzarella, the salt, and the pepper. Mix well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining peas, pine nuts, and basil over top. Serve at room temperature.
Step 4
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Chef's notes
To toast the pine nuts, place them in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Watch the nuts carefully, as they can burn quickly, and transfer them to a small bowl immediately after cooking.
Make-Ahead Instructions:
The components of this pasta salad can be made ahead a day ahead of time; just keep everything separate and toss together right before serving.
