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Basil Lemon Pasta Salad

Lemon basil pasta salad with fresh basil, lemon zest, and Parmesan tossed in a bright citrus dressing. Farfalle or rotini is rinsed cold for a crisp, chilled texture—finished with cherry tomatoes and optional pine nuts for a summery side.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad
  • 1 lb farfalle or rotini pasta
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 2 lemons, zested
  • 2 garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pine nuts, for garnish (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Boil the farfalle or rotini pasta in salted water according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
  2. Spread the drained pasta on a sheet pan in a single layer so it can cool evenly while you make the dressing.
Make the citrus dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper until the dressing looks glossy and well combined.
Toss and chill
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, torn basil, Parmesan, and cherry tomatoes.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every piece is lightly coated and the basil is distributed throughout.
  3. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld.
  4. If using pine nuts, sprinkle them on top and serve chilled.

Notes

For the brightest flavor, tear basil right before mixing so the leaves stay vivid; use fresh lemon zest only (avoid bottled zest). Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the salad can be frozen only briefly in a pinch (texture may soften). Vegetarian by default—swap Parmesan for a vegetarian hard cheese or omit it if you want it dairy-free.