Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas, Pine Nuts & Mozzarella Pearls

Name: Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas, Pine Nuts & Mozzarella Pearls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 to 10
Ingredients: 1 pound fusilli pasta; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup homemade or store-bought pesto; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon; 1½ cups frozen peas, defrosted, divided; ¾ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's; ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted (see note); One 8-oz package mozzarella pearls; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil, for serving

Prep Time

20m

Cook Time

10m

Total Time

30m

This Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas, Pine Nuts & Mozzarella Pearls is a refreshing and flavorful summer dish. Fusilli pasta is tossed with homemade pesto, lemon juice, peas, mayonnaise, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pine nuts. The salad is then finished with mozzarella pearls, salt, pepper, and fresh basil for a burst of flavor.