Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad (Print-Friendly Version)
Delicious bowtie pasta tossed with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and spinach in Italian dressing.
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1 lb uncooked bow-tie pasta
02 -
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
03 -
¾ cup basil pesto (or one 6 oz jar prepared basil)
04 -
¼ cup Italian dressing
05 -
1 ½ to 2 cups baby spinach, stemmed
06 -
1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups), sliced
07 -
8 oz bocconcini (cherry-sized fresh mozzarella balls), drained and halved
08 -
Salt and black pepper to taste
# Steps:
01 -
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta as directed on the package.
02 -
Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
03 -
Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and stir. Allow it to cool completely.
04 -
Mix the cooled pasta with basil pesto and Italian dressing until evenly coated.
05 -
Incorporate the spinach, sliced cherry tomatoes, and halved mozzarella into the pasta. Toss gently to combine.
06 -
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If the pasta appears dry before serving, stir in an additional 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil.