Bow Tie Pasta Salad with Basil Pesto

Step 1

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and drain. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Add basil, spinach, garlic,¼ cup of the pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add parmesan and mayonnaise and process until combined.

Step 3

Once the pasta has cooled to room temperature, toss it in a large bowl with the pesto and reserved pasta water. Add cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with remaining pine nuts.