Quick Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes Recipes
This Quick Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes is a fast and delicious meal you can pull together any night of the week. Homemade pesto comes together in minutes using your favorite nuts (like walnuts or pine nuts), while roasted cherry tomatoes add juicy sweetness. Toss it all with al dente pasta for a fresh, comforting dinner that’s full of flavor and easy to love.
Servings 4 Servings
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
Ingredients
Pesto Ingredients
- ¼ cup Walnuts or Pine nuts or nuts of choice
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- ½ - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Other Ingredients
- 16 ounces Dried Pasta
- 12 ounces Cherry tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated or shredded
Instructions
Prep Ahead Steps
- If your nuts are not toasted, place in frying pan (no oil needed) and toast for 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat. Watch closely to make sure they don't burn.
- Add all pesto ingredients to the food processor, except for parmesan. Pulse and then blend, scraping down the sides as needed. Once completely blended, add the parmesan to combine. It will be thick, but can be thinned out later when mixed with the pasta.
Cooking Steps
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
- Remove any stems from the cherry tomatoes, then add them to a sheet pan with a tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Season the tomatoes with a teaspoon of Salt and a sprinkle of ground black pepper to taste. Then roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes start to pop.
- While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water for adding to the pesto pasta. Strain the pasta and add back to the pan with the pesto. Gently toss the pasta using tongs or a spatula. Add pasta water as needed to help thin out the pesto and create a sauce with the pasta.
- Last, either mix the tomatoes gentle into the pasta or plate the pesto pasta and top with the roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!
