Lemony Pistachio Pesto Pasta Salad
Gemelli smothered in lemony pistachio pesto, tossed with spicy arugula and topped with fresh pearl mozzarella. This is a crowd pleaser on a hot summer day (or just any day!) Great for meal prep as well.
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 entree portions (8 appetizer portions)
- 16 oz. gemelli pasta can sub another pasta of your choice
- 1 cup lemony pistachio pesto *recipe is above*
- 6 tightly packed cups arugula washed and dried
- 1 cup pearl mozzarella balls can sub cubed fresh mozzarella
- Lemon zest for topping
- Extra virgin olive oil for topping
Fill a stock pot with water until it's 3/4 of the way full. Add 1-2 tbsp of salt (or salt the water according to the pasta package.) Bring to a boil.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until 1 minute before al dente (it will residually cook as it cools down and we don't want floppy pasta.) Drain the pasta into a collander. Rinse the pasta with cold water to stop any residual cooking.
Once the pasta is at least room temperature, pour it into a large bowl. Add the pesto and toss until the pasta is coated. Add the arugula and pearl mozzarella and toss until fully combined. Serve on a platter and top with extra lemon zest and another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy immediately, or store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Keyword arugula, basil, extra virgin olive oil, gemelli, lemon, Parmesan, pearl mozzarella, pecorino romano, pistachios