Description
Colorful bow tie pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, basil, spinach, and pesto dressing. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and easy meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces bow tie pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup bocconcini cheese, halved
- 1 cup spinach, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup basil, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the bow tie pasta according to package directions until slightly past al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse briefly with cold water if needed to cool it quickly.
- Toss the pasta with a small amount of olive oil and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl whisk together pesto, olive oil, and lemon juice to create the dressing.
- In a large bowl combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bocconcini cheese, spinach, and basil.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and season with salt and black pepper.
- Toss gently until evenly coated and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.
Notes
- Allow the pasta to cool before mixing to keep vegetables crisp.
- Add extra pesto or lemon juice if you prefer stronger flavor.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 236
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g