Pasta Salad with Lemon Pesto Dressing

Elevate your summer meals with this zesty and refreshing Pasta Salad with Lemon Pesto Dressing! Bursting with vibrant Mediterranean flavors, this easy-to-make dish combines tender rotini pasta with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, savory black olives, and a tangy homemade lemon pesto dressing. The star of the recipe is the bright and citrusy pesto, made with fresh basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice for a fresh twist. Perfect as a side dish for picnics, barbecues, or light lunches, this pasta salad comes together in just 30 minutes and can be served chilled or at room temperature. It’s a crowd-pleaser packed with bold flavors and a delightful balance of textures—ideal for anyone craving a quick and healthy Mediterranean-inspired dish.

Nutriscore Rating: 65/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz Rotini pasta
• 2 cups Basil leaves
• 0.5 cups Grated Parmesan cheese
• 0.25 cups Pine nuts
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Lemon zest
• 0.5 cups Olive oil
• 2 cups Cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 Cucumber (diced)
• 0.5 Red onion (thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cups Black olives (sliced)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside to dry.

Step 2

In a food processor, combine basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pulse until the mixture is finely blended.

Step 3

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until the pesto reaches a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and black olives.

Step 5

Pour the lemon pesto dressing over the pasta salad and toss well to evenly coat.

Step 6

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper, if needed.

Step 7

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 8

Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese or fresh basil leaves if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1125.2g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2989.7

Total Fat 173.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 31.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 22.1g
Cholesterol 40mg	0%
Sodium 3965.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 294.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 23.0g	0%
Total Sugars 24.5g
Protein 70.1g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 738.5mg	0%
Iron 18.6mg	0%
Potassium 2092.0mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 51.8%

Protein: 9.3%

Carbs: 39.0%