Pesto Pasta Salad

I was craving a light summery meal last night, so I made this pasta salad with deviled eggs and fresh-cut watermelon. I searched long and hard for a pasta salad that met our requirements:

• No cold meat (per JW’s request)
• No beans
• No dump-a-bottle-of-Italian-dressing-on-it-and-call-it-pasta-salad recipes (although I’ve most likely eaten and enjoyed such recipes in the past – I wanted a little something more)

This pasta salad met our criteria, and with a couple of tweaks, it was perfect. The original recipe makes enough for a crowd, so I cut it in half. We loved the combination of rotini and cheese tortellini, and the pesto just pushed it to the top. It is a great and easy summer recipe I would recommend to anyone.

Pesto Pasta Salad
(Original recipe here)

• 10 oz. cheese-filled tortellini, fresh or frozen (I used half of a 20-oz. bag)
• 1/4-1/2 of a one-pound box of rotini pasta
• 1 10-oz. container grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• A handful of kalamata olives, drained and sliced in half lengthwise
• 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 6 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed (I used string cheese)
• 4 oz. basil pesto
• Olive oil as desired

Cook pastas; drain and set aside to cool (you may drizzle some olive oil on the pasta so they do not stick together).

In a large bowl, mix other ingredients together, and gently fold in cooled pasta. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

If served later, you may have to “refresh” this with a bit of olive oil. Adjust other seasonings to taste.

Enjoy!

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