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    Home » Recipes » Salad Recipes » Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Store Bought Pesto

    Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Store Bought Pesto

    Published: Dec 24, 2018 · Modified: Mar 27, 2021 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    creamy pesto pasta salad with store bought pesto and mozarella

    Learn how to make creamy pesto pasta salad with store bought pesto. One of my favorite make ahead salad recipes is this easy pesto pasta. It takes just 20 minutes! Once you try my recipe for pesto pasta salad using store bought pesto, you’ll be hooked. To make this creamy pasta salad, you’ll use penne pasta, pesto, smoked mozzarella, mayo, sun dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Substitute cold tortellini if you’d like!

    creamy pesto pasta salad with mozzarella and with store bought pesto

    Watch the video with step-by-step directions on how to make creamy pesto pasta salad at the bottom of this post.

    ingredients for creamy pesto pasta salad with with store bought pesto including tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto, mayo, penne pasta, parmesan cheese

    Ingredients for cold and creamy pesto pasta salad

    To make this recipe, you need penne pasta, olive oil, mayo, store bought pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, smokey mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

    Want to see a cool cooking trick to make super juicy burgers? See these sous vide hamburgers mayo seared to perfection.

    How to make creamy pesto pasta salad

    Boil penne pasta as directed to al dente.

    straining cooked penne pasta for pasta salad

    Strain and drizzle with olive oil so pasta doesn’t stick together.

    I like to drizzle the olive oil on the cold penne pasta right in the sink. Less clean up!

    pesto salad dressing with store bought pesto and mayo

    Combine mayo and store bought pesto.

    It’s so simple to make your own pesto. Check out this recipe for spinach basil pesto.

    pesto salad dressing with store bought pesto and mayo

    Mix pesto dressing with pasta.

    combining creamy pesto pasta salad with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and with store bought pesto
    It takes a minute to mix all the ingredients together for creamy pesto pasta salad

    Add diced sun-dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella cheese.

    creamy pesto pasta in a salad bowl topped with Parmesan cheese

    Stir to combine ingredients. Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

    See tips for using store bought alfredo sauce to make a tasty dish for your family. Create restaurant style pasta with alfredo sauce from a jar. Use any store brand.

    Can you put pesto on cold pasta?

    I treat pesto like gold. So when I had a few tablespoons of thick, decadent store bought pesto left from another recipe, I wondered: can you put pesto on cold pasta? After some experimentation, I found that using store bought pesto on pasta salad is too thick on it’s own. So I added mayo to the pesto and this recipe for creamy pasta salad dressing with pesto was born.

    How do you make creamy pesto salad dressing?

    This is an easy pasta salad with mayo. To make a simple creamy pesto salad dressing, simply combine two ingredients: pesto and mayo, until smooth.

    What kind of pasta goes with pesto?

    A tube or spiral pasta, like penne pasta, fusilli pasta, or rigatoni pasta is perfect for this recipe. These pastas are easy to eat with a fork – even with a plastic fork at a picnic. They don’t require cutting and the pesto and Parmesan easily sticks to them.

    Know what else goes well with pesto? Green veggies! Try this Shaved Asparagus Pesto Salad by my friend Laura at A Food Lover’s Kitchen.

    How do you make creamy pesto salad dressing?

    This is an easy pasta salad with mayo. To make a simple creamy pesto salad dressing, simply combine two ingredients, pesto and mayo, until smooth.

    What kind of pasta goes with pesto?

    A tube or spiral pasta, like penne, fusilli or rigatoni pasta is perfect for this recipe. These pastas are easy to eat with a fork – even with a plastic fork at a picnic. They don’t require cutting and the pesto and Parmesan easily sticks to them.

    Another way to make this salad is with cheese tortellini. See this post on Trader Joe’s pesto tortellini instructions to learn for cooking tortellini for pasta salad. 

    How do you cook pasta for cold pasta salad?

    Boil pasta as directed on the package to al dente. Immediately after straining, coat the pasta generously with olive oil so the pieces don’t stick together. Work quickly to add the creamy pesto pasta dressing.

    What vegetables go with pesto pasta salad?

    • Broccoli
    • Squash
    • Peas
    • Artichokes
    • Sauteed mushrooms
    • Red onion
    • Zucchini
    • Bell peppers (learn how to cut bell peppers)
    • Roasted cherry tomatoes

    Cold pesto pasta salad with chicken

    If you’re looking to add protein to this pesto pasta salad, chicken is a great option. Check out this recipe to learn how to slow cook a whole chicken in the crock pot. Add the fall-off-the-bone chicken to the pesto pasta salad for a hearty chilled salad.

    Making pasta salad for a crowd

    This is a favorite easy pesto pasta salad for a crowd. I make it for football games, Super Bowl, and to take to parties. It’s great to make ahead and serve with a main dish like chicken or brisket on this list of sous vide recipes for a crowd.

    It keeps for a few days in the fridge, so I usually make a big batch of creamy pesto pasta salad to have for lunch over a few days.

    Working from home, I love having a cold salad in the fridge for a quick lunch. Another favorite in my house is this make-ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing.

    creamy pesto pasta salad in a white bowl on a red kitchen towel

    Tasty tips and notes for making creamy pesto pasta salad

    • You can cook the pasta ahead of time. Cook pasta to a perfect al dente, and be sure to coat it with a little olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick.
    • Use a tube or spiral pasta (penne, fusilli or rigatoni). Or try tortellini.
    • Experiment with different ingredients. Add grilled chicken for protein. Try artichokes, red onion, peas, sliced grape tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, chickpeas or zucchini.
    • The pasta salad will last a couple days in the fridge. Preserve some dressing to add if the pasta gets dry while storing it.
    • Want a low fat option? Make your own pesto and use pumpkin seeds in place of pine nuts. First, soak the pumpkin seads in warm water overnight, then substitute them for your favorite pesto recipe. 

    Try these easy salads readers love…

    • Mexican Pasta Salad with Chili Lime Dressing
    • Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad
    • Mexican Salad with Ranch Dressing
    • Best Caprese Salad Recipe
    • Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables

    More recipes using Trader Joe’s ingredients

    Are you a Trader Joe’s enthusiast, too? I love planning grocery trips to Trader Joe’s. It’s almost like a vacation… strolling up and down the aisles to discover new things. When I come home, I’m inspired to develop new recipes.

    My best recipes using Trader Joe’s products end up here on Sip Bite Go…

    • Cauliflower Rice. Use it in place of bread crumbs in Hawaiian pineapple bbq meatballs and as a filling for cheesy Italian stuffed peppers. Also try it in a vegetable stir fry with cauliflower rice.
    • Ready Made Pizza Dough. I’m a huge fan of making pizza at home and have extensive information on how to use Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough.
    • Frozen Pizza Crust. Learn how to make frozen pizza crust taste amazing.
    • Everything But The Bagel Seasoning. This is super delicious on focaccia bread with Everything Bagel Seasoning.
    • Frozen Gyoza and Potstickers. These are great in frozen vegetable stir frys. See my guide to Trader Joe’s chicken cilantro mini wontons or Trader Joe’s vegetable gyoza.
    • Frozen Ravioli. Sometimes I just serve it with tomato sauce. Other times, I go a little nuts and make ravioli pizza with store bought Alfredo sauce.
    • Spice Kits. Did you know you can buy Trader Joe’s products online? This Trader Joe’s spice kit inspires so many recipes in my house.
    • Cheese. The cheese case at Trader Joe’s is undeniably amazing. Use it for potatoes gratin with frozen vegetables, this recipe for baked shells with ground beef, or in potato side dish recipes.

    See more of the best meals to make with Trader Joe’s ingredients and my full list of Trader Joe’s must haves.

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Let me know when you make this creamy pesto pasta salad. Be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe. It means so much to hear from Sip Bite Go readers and I love seeing photos of your food! Don’t forget to tag me @sipbitego on Instagram so I can see how the recipe turned out. For more ideas you’ll love, sign up for the Sip Bite Go newsletter.

    creamy pesto pasta salad in a white bowl on a red kitchen towel

    Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Store Bought Pesto (Sip Bite Go)

    Learn how to make creamy pesto pasta salad with store bought pesto. One of my favorite make ahead salad recipes is this easy pesto pasta. It takes just 20 minutes! Once you try my recipe for pesto pasta salad using store bought pesto, you’ll be hooked. To make this creamy pasta salad, you’ll use penne pasta, pesto, smoked mozzarella, mayo, sun dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Substitute tortellini if you’d like!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 553kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    • 1 LB penne pasta
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • ½ cup mayo
    • ⅓ cup pesto
    • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes diced
    • ½ cup mozzarella cheese smoked flavor, diced
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded

    Instructions

    • Boil penne pasta as directed to al dente. Strain and drizzle with olive oil so pasta doesn’t stick together.
    • Combine mayo and store bought pesto. Mix pesto dressing with pasta.
    • Add diced sun-dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine ingredients. Top with Parmesan cheese. 

    Video

    Notes

    • You can cook the pasta ahead of time. Cook pasta to a perfect al dente, and be sure to coat it with a little olive oil so the pasta doesn’t stick.
    • Use a tube or spiral pasta (penne, fusilli or rigatoni). Or try tortellini. 
    • Experiment with different ingredients. Add grilled chicken for protein. Try artichokes, red onion, peas, sliced grape tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, chickpeas or zucchini.
    • The pasta salad will last a couple days in the fridge. Preserve some dressing to add if the pasta gets dry while storing it. 
    • Want a low fat option? Make your own pesto and use pumpkin seeds in place of pine nuts. First, soak the pumpkin seads in warm water overnight, then substitute them for your favorite pesto recipe.  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 460IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 1.6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nati says

      June 19, 2019 at 3:01 pm

      This is interesting! I’d love to experiment with pesto for a pasta salad!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Natural Beauty And Makeup says

      June 19, 2019 at 5:42 am

      I always look for new easy recipes to try on weekends and see, got this unique recipe today! I’ll try it for sure as it looks delicious ☺

      Reply
    3. Christa says

      June 18, 2019 at 10:06 pm

      Pasta is my favorite. I can’t wait to try this. I’ve never mixed pesto with mayonnaise.

      Reply
    4. Tiffany says

      June 18, 2019 at 6:45 pm

      I am a huge fan of pestos! I love some of the ideas that you provided here. I will definitely be trying out a few.

      Reply
    5. aisasami says

      June 18, 2019 at 4:49 pm

      I love pesto! I have to see if Japan has pesto so I can try to make this at home!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Angela Tolsma says

      June 18, 2019 at 9:35 am

      I love your question and answers section because it totally answered all the questions I had! These sounds delicious!

      Reply
    7. Courtney says

      June 18, 2019 at 5:04 am

      Omg can we say yum?!?! I just love trying new salads. My favorite thing to eat during the summer

      Reply
    8. Margaret Smith says

      June 18, 2019 at 3:25 am

      Yum! I think I have just about everything to make this.

      Reply
    9. Kristen says

      June 17, 2019 at 3:27 pm

      I never thought to combine mayo with pesto stir a cold pasta salad. That’s genius for an indoor get together this summer.

      Reply
    10. Neely Moldovan says

      June 17, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      Holy yum! This sounds so good right now. I am in the mood for comfort food

      Reply
    11. Stephanie says

      June 17, 2019 at 11:44 am

      I never thought of adding mayo with pesto. It’s always bothered me that pesto felt so dry, but this creamy option sounds amazing!5 stars

      Reply
    12. Amanda @ Healthy House on the Block says

      June 17, 2019 at 6:19 am

      Yum! I love pesto dishes — and this looks absolutely delicious!! I love that it’s full of flavor but simple enough to make in a pinch. Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
    13. Susan Switzer says

      March 13, 2019 at 7:02 pm

      Delicious!!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Developer says

        March 23, 2019 at 8:57 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it! I picked up some pesto to make it again this week.

        Reply

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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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