Ingredients

The following ingredients have 8 Servings
  • 2 cups Basil (fresh, leaves only)
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (Can use pecorino too)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (fresh)
  • ⅔ cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 pound box Elbow Macaroni (cooked al dente, and rinsed)
  • 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 cup mozzarella pearls (or 8 ounces of ball-style chopped up)

Instruction

  • Boil macaroni elbows until al dente in a pot of salted water. I use one teaspoon of salt per pound. Once done, strain liquid in a collander over the sink. Rinse pasta with cold water, and strain again until all liquid is removed. Transfer pasta into a large micing bowl.
  • In a food processor, blend cheese, salt, pepper, oil, garlic, and basil until pureed; place in the fridge until ready to mix.
  • Add your cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and pesto mixture into the strained pasta. Mix well to combine.
  • Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This dish tastes best chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. By chilling the pesto caprese macaroni salad, you allow the pasta and cheese to soak up all the bold flavors of the garlic, parmesan, and fresh basil leaves.