This Pesto Pasta Salad recipe might just ruin all other pasta salads for you in the best way possible. It’s so creamy, herby, salty, and fresh all at the same time, and the crispy prosciutto takes it to another level in. I started making it one spring and my family immediately said that it might just be even better than the OG “Everyone’s Favorite Pasta Salad“, which is saying a lot! Whether you’re prepping lunches for the week or showing up to a barbecue, this is the dish that you’re going to keep coming back to over and over again.
I personally love to meal prep a large batch of this to snack on throughout the week. It keeps really well in the fridge, making it easy to have something delicious and ready to go whenever you need it. Trust me, once you make it, this pesto pasta salad will become a staple recipe in your weekly rotation. Be sure to check out all my tips and tricks below the recipe!
How To Make My Spring Pesto Pasta Salad With Crispy Prosciutto
Here’s a video of how I put my Spring Pesto Pasta Salad with Crispy Prosciutto together! For another delicious pasta salad that’s perfect for entertaining, check out my Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (I love using fusilli)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
- 1 ½ cups green peas, thawed
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- 3 cups fresh basil
- ¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
Step-By-Step Recipe Method
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the prosciutto on a baking rack or lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until crispy and golden. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop the prosciutto into pieces and set aside.
- In a large pot of heavily salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente according the package instructions. Strain the pasta, rinse it with cold water, and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, add the basil, garlic, and pine nuts and pulse until well combined. Then add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Pulse and drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, peas, and mozzarella. Pour the pesto overtop and mix it all together until the pasta salad is thoroughly coated and combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Tips
- Cook your pasta al dente and make sure to rinse with cold water immediately after. I usually don’t recommend rinsing pasta, but a cold pasta salad is the only exception! It will stop the cooking and cool the noodles. After rinsing your pasta, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil overtop to prevent sticking. Season with salt, as it’s always best to season in layers!
- When pulsing the basil, pine nuts, and garlic together in a food processor or blender, adding a 2 to 3 ice cubes will help the pesto retain its vibrant color.
- This pesto should be slightly thinner than a typical pesto as it is dressing the entire pasta salad.
- You can air fry the prosciutto at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes if that works better for you.
- I highly encourage using Parmigiano-Reggiano instead of “parmesan”. This swap makes a huge difference in any recipe. True Parmigiano-Reggiano provides an umami flavor bomb and elevates a dish.
- I prefer to use raw sweet corn in this dish but you can also use cooked/grilled corn.