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Pesto pasta salad on white rectangle dish
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2.6 from 5 votes

Pesto Caprese Macaroni Salad

An easy to make summer pasta salad that is loaded with the bold flavors of garlic, basil, and parmesan cheeses. Can be made regular or gluten free.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: pesto
Servings: 6
Calories: 231cal
Author: Amy Desrosiers

Ingredients

  • 5 cups Basil
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 box Elbow Macaroni
  • 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes

Instructions

Pesto Caprese Macaroni Salad

    Directions:

    • Boil macaroni elbows until al dente
    • In a food processor, blend cheese, oil, garlic, and basil until pureed.
    • Set pesto in the fridge to chill, and "marinate".
    • Once pasta is cooked, rinse it will cold water
    • Add your cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and pesto; mix thoroughly.
    • Garnish with extra basil leaves before serving.
    • This dish tastes best chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. By chilling the pesto caprese macaroni salad, you allow the pasta and cheese to soak up all the bold flavors of the garlic, parmesan, and fresh basil leaves.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 231cal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 250mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1540IU | Vitamin C: 23.2mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 1.4mg