Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Bright basil pesto with burst cherry tomatoes over al dente pasta — Italian weeknight perfection.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 12 oz (340g) spaghetti, linguine, or trofie
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
- 3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves to garnish
Instructions
- 1Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to the package. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
- 2While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes, pressing them gently with a spoon, until they burst and release their juices. Season with salt.
- 3Reduce heat to low. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the burst tomatoes.
- 4Add the pesto to the pasta and toss to coat, adding the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce. The pasta water is essential — it helps the thick pesto distribute evenly and emulsify into a sauce rather than clumping.
- 5Add Parmesan and toss until melted. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- 6Serve topped with toasted pine nuts, extra Parmesan, and fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Pro Tips
- ✓
Add the pesto off the heat or over very low heat — high temperature destroys the bright green color and fresh basil flavor of pesto. Toss with warm (not boiling) pasta for the best result.
- ✓
Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden, shaking constantly — they go from pale to burned very fast. Toasted pine nuts add a richness and crunch that raw ones can't match.
- ✓
For homemade pesto: blend 2 cups fresh basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/3 cup pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup olive oil, and a pinch of salt until smooth. It takes 5 minutes and tastes dramatically better than most jarred versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pasta shape goes best with pesto?
Trofie (the traditional Ligurian choice), linguine, spaghetti, and fusilli all work beautifully — pesto clings to long strands and spirals especially well. Avoid large tube pasta like rigatoni or penne, which can get too much sauce in the tubes. Short pasta like farfalle works in a pinch.
Can I use store-bought pesto for this recipe?
Yes — a good store-bought pesto works fine. Brands that keep the pesto in the refrigerated section (not shelf-stable) generally taste fresher. Bring it to room temperature before using and taste for seasoning — some jarred pestos are salty enough that you should skip adding extra salt.
How do I keep pesto pasta from turning brown?
Add the pesto off the heat and toss quickly, then serve immediately. Pesto oxidizes and turns brown from exposure to heat and air. If you're making this for meal prep, toss the pasta with olive oil instead of pesto and store the pesto separately. Add the pesto cold right before eating.
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