Pasta and noodles · Italian · 25 min
Almond Pesto Pasta Salad with Broccoli, Greens & Fresh Mozzarella
- 25 min
- 2–6 servings
- 692 kcal / serving
Creamy almond pesto coats al dente penne with broccoli, mozzarella and fresh greens for a bright, satisfying weeknight salad. The method brings together a quick pesto and tossed vegetables for a complete, quick meal.
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Ingredients
- ⅛ cupalmonds
- 1 crownbroccoli
- ½ small pkgfresh basil
- ½ (8 oz) pkgfresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 clovegarlic
- 1 pintgrape tomatoes
- 1lemon
- ¼ cupnutritional yeast flakes
- 5 ozpenne pasta
- ½ (5 oz) pkgspring mix (mixed greens)
- lemons
From the pantry: black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, salt
Cookware
chef's knife · citrus juicer (optional) · colander · cutting board · grater (optional) · hand or regular blender · measuring cups · measuring spoons · medium saucepan · mixing bowls · stirring spoon
Kitchen help: cups to grams · tablespoons to cups · oven temperatures · butter conversions · what each cooking tool is for · ingredient substitutes
More dinner ideas: easy dinners
Shopping list by aisle
Produce
- 1 crownbroccoli
- ½ small pkgfresh basil
- 1 clovegarlic
- 1 pintgrape tomatoes
- 1lemon
- ½ (5 oz) pkgspring mix (mixed greens)
- lemons
Dairy, eggs & chilled
- ½ (8 oz) pkgfresh mozzarella cheese
Pantry & dry goods
- ⅛ cupalmonds
- 5 ozpenne pasta
Spices & baking
- ¼ cupnutritional yeast flakes
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Ingredients for 2, 4 and 6 servings
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 6 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| almonds | ⅛ cup | ¼ cup | ⅓ cup |
| broccoli | 1 crown | 2 crowns | 3 crowns |
| fresh basil | ½ small pkg | 1 small pkg | 1 ½ small pkgs |
| fresh mozzarella cheese | ½ (8 oz) pkg | 1 (8 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (8 oz) pkg |
| garlic | 1 clove | 2 cloves | 3 cloves |
| grape tomatoes | 1 pint | 2 pints | 3 pints |
| lemon | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| nutritional yeast flakes | ¼ cup | ½ cup | ¾ cup |
| penne pasta | 5 oz | 10 oz | 15 oz |
| spring mix (mixed greens) | ½ (5 oz) pkg | 1 (5 oz) pkg | 1 ½ (5 oz) pkgs |
Quantities in US units. Any other household size: MealPot scales the recipe and the grocery list for you.
Directions
- Boil a medium pot of salted water, then add the penne and cook until almost tender, about six minutes.
- Wash and dry the broccoli, basil, tomatoes, greens, and mozzarella while the pasta cooks.
- Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and place them in a bowl set aside.
- Break the broccoli into small florets and chop the stems into bite-sized pieces.
- When the pasta is nearly done, drop the broccoli into the pot and cook 3–4 minutes more until both are tender; drain when ready.
- In a blender, combine the garlic, lemon zest and juice, basil, nutritional yeast, almonds, water, olive oil, salt, and pepper; blend until very smooth.
- Pour the pesto over the bowl of mozzarella and let it soften as the pasta and broccoli finish draining; add the drained pasta, broccoli, halved tomatoes, and greens, then toss to combine and serve.
Two tips
- Prep the pesto ingredients earlier in the day and keep in the blender container for quick blending right before serving.
- For a different texture, swap in more greens or top with extra tomatoes or a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 692 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 77 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 413 mg
Estimates from the recipe's published nutrition data; they change with the version you pick above.
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Ingredient quantities, timing and nutrition follow the original Mealime recipe ↗ (captured 2026-09-12). The photo is MealPot's AI-rendered illustration of the finished dish; the description, directions, aisle list and serving table are MealPot's.