Pesto Pasta Salad
You’ll look forward to lunch all day when you’ve packed a portion of this easy Pesto Pasta Salad. Instead of using a shop-bought pesto that’s made with oil, we’ve blitzed together avocado, basil, garlic and Parmesan to create a rich, creamy dressing. Our simple salad mixes up gooey mozzarella, crunchy pine nuts and cherry tomatoes (roasted for extra sweetness!). It’s spot on for picnics, BBQs and lunch boxes!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories364
- Carbs38g
- Protein17g
- Fat14g
- Saturates4.8g
- Sugars5g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
This vibrant Pesto Pasta Salad is just as colourful as it is delicious! You’ll look forward to opening your lunch all day with a portion stashed and ready to go. Rather than using shop-bought pesto, we’ve blitzed a slimming-friendly combo of ingredients together instead.
The velvety avocado, basil, garlic and Parmesan blend together beautifully to make that eye-catching dressing. To pair creaminess with a moreish crunch, we’ve stirred in gooey mozzarella and toasted pine nuts.
Our favourite part has to be the juicy cherry tomatoes. By oven-roasting them, you’ll bring out a natural sweetness that’s too yummy to miss out on – they bring a burst of flavour in every forkful!
If you’re not saving a portion for lunch, try it as a side at your next barbecue or pop some in your picnic basket. Trust us, you won’t regret it!
What diets is this Pesto Pasta Salad suitable for?
Pesto Pasta Salad can be enjoyed on vegetarian diets, as long as you substitute Parmesan for a vegetarian, Italian-style hard cheese.
It can also be made gluten-free as long as you make sure to use gluten-free dried pasta shapes.
Take extra care when cooking for people with allergies and be sure to use different utensils, cookware and preparation areas.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Pesto Pasta Salad?
We’ve kept this recipe so beautifully simple, you don’t even need to buy pesto!
Pine nuts should be really easy to find at most supermarkets or on Amazon.
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Pine nuts add a gorgeous crunch to this pasta salad recipe.
Use your favourite kind of small, dried pasta shape!
How many calories are in this Pesto Pasta Salad?
There are 364 calories per portion in this Pesto Pasta Salad, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Pesto Pasta Salad is perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Scatter the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and roast for around 15 minutes.
Step 2
While the tomatoes roast, cook the pasta according to packet instructions (usually around 10-12 minutes in a pan of boiling water). When cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water to cool quickly. Drain thoroughly.
Step 3
Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients, except the water and salt and pepper into a blender or mini chopper. Blitz to a smooth dressing. Use a little water to thin down if needed. It should be the consistency of thick cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Place the drained pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pine nuts and rocket in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss together until well combined. Serve.
What could I serve with this Pesto Pasta Salad?
Pesto Pasta Salad is delicious all on its own or as part of a slimming-friendly BBQ or picnic spread:
How do you know when Pesto Pasta Salad is cooked?
You’ll need to cook this Pesto Pasta Salad until the cherry tomatoes are softened in the oven, and the pasta shapes are tender.
Here in the UK, the standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and maintained that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep you and your family safe!
How long can you keep Pesto Pasta Salad in the fridge?
Once you’ve served this recipe, you’ll ideally need to eat it within 4 hours.
If you want to make this dish in advance then you can store your Pesto Pasta Salad in the fridge for a couple of days! Make sure any leftovers are refrigerated in a container with a lid.
Can I freeze Pesto Pasta Salad?
This recipe isn’t suitable for freezing.
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Pesto Pasta Salad
You’ll look forward to lunch all day when you’ve packed a portion of this easy, slimming-friendly Pesto Pasta Salad. Perfect for picnics too!
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Prep Time
20 MINS
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Cook Time
15 MINS
- KCals 364
- Carbs 38G
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Scatter the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and roast for around 15 minutes.
- While the tomatoes roast, cook the pasta according to packet instructions (usually around 10-12 minutes in a pan of boiling water). When cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water to cool quickly. Drain thoroughly.
- Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients, except the water and salt and pepper into a blender or mini chopper. Blitz to a smooth dressing. Use a little water to thin down if needed. It should be the consistency of thick cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place the drained pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pine nuts and rocket in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss together until well combined. Serve.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
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2 comments
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Suzanne BradleyTuesday 27th May 2025
If I didn’t have the time (or facilities e.g. on holiday without my blender) to make my own pesto for the Pesto Pasta Salad, how much ready-made Pesto should I use please?
HollyThursday 12th June 2025
Hi Suzanne, you could start with 2 tbsp and add more to suit your taste. You will need to alter the calories accordingly, hope that helps!
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