Ingredients
1 lb. short pasta, such as fusilli or penne
1/4 c. pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. basil leaves
1/4 c. finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 pt. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Preparation
Step 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander. Rinse and transfer pasta to a large bowl to cool.Step 2Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, cook pine nuts until just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Let cool.Step 3In the bowl of a food processor, combine pine nut-garlic mixture, basil, Parmesan, oil, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse five or six times until mostly smooth. Add reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse to reach desired texture.Step 4Add pesto and cherry tomatoes to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with additional Parmesan.
This version of Pesto Pasta Salad is classic, featuring a homemade basil-and-pine nut pesto, a generous amount of Parmesan, and juicy grape tomatoes. Any type of short pasta will do as long as it has good texture to snag the sauce. Fusilli—the short spiraled shape—does well with pesto, as does penne, but we won’t judge you for going with retro bow-tie pasta. It’s worth getting out your nicest olive oil for this recipe since the flavor will shine through. Pro tip: You can make the pesto up to 3 days ahead. (If you’re doing this, you’ll skip the step of adding the pasta water to the sauce—just wait to do that until you’re assembling the salad.) Transfer to an airtight container and top with a glug of olive oil, which will help the pesto maintain its pretty, nearly emerald green color. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
