1-Cooking the Pasta: Start by bringing 3 liters of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt to flavor it right. Cook 350g of spiral pasta for the time on the package plus an extra minute to make it nice and soft trust me, this keeps it tender even when chilled. Once it’s done, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to cool it down and wash away any extra starch that could make it clumpy.

2-Cooking the Pasta: Let the pasta dry fully after shaking off the water; this step helps the flavors stick better later on. If you’re new to pasta salads, remember that rinsing is a game-changer for keeping things fresh and not sticky.

3-Making the Pesto: Now for the fun part whipping up that creamy dressing with fresh herbs. Grab a tall jug and toss in 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts, 2 cups of tightly packed fresh basil leaves, 1 small minced garlic clove, 1/2 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 7 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or a mix with grapeseed oil.

4-Making the Pesto: Use a handheld stick blender to blend it all until it’s smooth with just a few green bits for texture aim for that homemade goodness that beats store-bought any day. If you’re short on time, you could use refrigerated pesto, but fresh always wins for that burst of flavor in your pesto pasta salad recipes with fresh herbs and creamy dressing.

5-Assembling the Salad: In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the pesto and 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise until everything is nicely coated this is what keeps the salad juicy and creamy. Gently fold in 250g of halved cherry tomatoes and 220g of drained and halved baby bocconcini so you don’t squash the tomatoes.

6-Assembling the Salad: Finally, add 1 cup of tightly packed baby rocket or arugula leaves and give it a light toss to mix without overwhelming the greens. For a pretty finish, scatter some small basil leaves on top if you like. Serve it up right away, and you’ve got a dish that’s ready to impress.