Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

This Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad is bright, herby, creamy, and packed with summer flavor. It has tender rotini pasta, juicy cherry tomatoes, crispy bacon, creamy mozzarella, and a homemade basil pesto vinaigrette that brings everything together.

The dressing is made with fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, vinegar, ranch seasoning, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, and a little red pepper flake for just the right amount of flavor. It is fresh, rich, tangy, and perfect for cookouts, potlucks, meal prep, and easy summer lunches.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fresh basil flavor: The creamy pesto vinaigrette is loaded with basil, parmesan, garlic, lemon, and pine nuts.
• Perfect summer side: It is colorful, cool, and easy to make ahead for warm-weather meals.
• Loaded with mix-ins: Bacon, tomatoes, and mozzarella make the pasta salad hearty and flavorful.
• Easy to customize: Use a partial box or whole box of pasta, add more dressing to taste, and garnish with extra basil if you like.

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

• 3/4 box to 1 whole box rotini pasta, cooked al dente, drained, and cooled
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 5–6 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
• Mozzarella pearls or 1 ball mozzarella, chopped
• Fresh basil, optional, for garnish

Creamy Pesto Vinaigrette

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

How to Make Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

1. Make the pesto vinaigrette. Add the basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, vinegar, ranch seasoning, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Chill the dressing. Transfer the dressing to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Prep the pasta salad. Add the cooked and cooled rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, bacon, and mozzarella to a large bowl.
4. Toss with dressing. Pour on as much creamy pesto vinaigrette as you like and toss until everything is well coated.
5. Chill before serving. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat. The flavors get even better as it sits.
6. Garnish and serve. Top with fresh basil before serving, if desired.

Recipe Tips

• Cook the pasta al dente. Slightly firm pasta holds its shape best after chilling.
• Cool the pasta completely. This keeps the mozzarella fresh and helps the dressing stay creamy.
• Use dressing to taste. Start with part of the dressing, toss, then add more as needed.
• Refresh before serving. If the pasta absorbs the dressing in the fridge, add a drizzle of olive oil or a spoonful of extra dressing before serving.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This pasta salad is perfect for making ahead. Prepare it several hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve so the flavors have time to blend.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good toss before serving, and add a little extra olive oil or dressing if needed.

Serving Ideas

Serve Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, sandwiches, burgers, or a simple green salad. It also makes an easy lunch on its own because it is hearty, flavorful, and satisfying.