Meatless Monday: Pesto Pasta Salad

There’s a moment in every new home cook’s journey when a recipe finally clicks. Not because it’s complicated or impressive—but because it works. No stress. No second-guessing. Just real food coming together exactly the way you hoped it would.

This pesto pasta salad was one of those moments for me.

It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel confident in the kitchen, even if you’re still learning. You cook the pasta, toss everything into a bowl, and suddenly you have something colorful, fresh, and undeniably delicious. No tricky timing. No fancy techniques. Just simple ingredients doing what they do best.

The combination is hard to mess up: tender whole wheat pasta, sweet roasted peppers, creamy mozzarella, peppery rocket, and basil pesto tying everything together. It’s forgiving, flexible, and perfect for beginners because it still tastes like something you’d proudly bring to a potluck or serve to friends.

Whether you’re cooking for yourself, meal prepping for the week, or trying to build confidence one recipe at a time, this is a dish that says, You can do this.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredient List

11 oz. (320g) whole wheat pasta
13 oz. (360g) roasted peppers, drained and sliced
6 tbsp. basil pesto
1 mozzarella ball (125g), chopped
4 oz. (120g) rocket
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, roasted peppers, pesto, mozzarella, and rocket.
Toss everything together until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories per serving: 501
Fats per serving: 17 grams
Protein per serving: 19 grams
Carbohydrates per serving: 67 grams

This recipe is taken from our Eat Lean: 5 Ingredients Simple and Delicious Meals for Busy Lives cookbook featuring 40 flavorful recipes for a vibrant lifestyle.

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