Tomato Mozzarella Pesto Lunchbox (Printable version)

Bright pasta salad featuring cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil pesto dressing for a fresh meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta (e.g., fusilli, penne)
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Vegetables & Cheese

03 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 7 oz mini mozzarella balls, drained
05 - Small handful fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Pesto Dressing

06 - 4 tablespoons basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Boil salted water in a large pot and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, mix the cooked pasta with halved cherry tomatoes, drained mozzarella balls, and torn basil leaves.
03 - Whisk together basil pesto and extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
04 - Pour the pesto dressing over the pasta mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Divide the salad into lunchbox containers, garnish with extra basil if desired, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This salad transforms basic ingredients into a meal that tastes like an Italian holiday you packed in your lunchbox.
  • Even after a night in the fridge, the flavors deepen and the pasta never turns soggy—it's genuinely foolproof.
02 -
  • Pasta that’s too soft turns the whole salad mushy—always go for al dente, even just under.
  • Letting the salad rest in the fridge for at least an hour before eating makes the flavor pop in a way I only realized after impatiently diving in early once.
03 -
  • If you add pesto while the pasta is still warm, it soaks up the flavor even more deeply.
  • The best shortcut: stash a small jar of homemade pesto in the fridge—it keeps rushed mornings stress-free and delicious.
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