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Your new go-to summer dinner: Pesto Pasta! Vibrant pesto tangled with whole wheat noodles, a handful of Parmesan, and whatever additions you please (tomatoes! spinach! chicken!) this is a fresh, fuss-free dinner to eat and repeat.

Spinach pesto pasta with tomatoes

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pesto Pasta Recipe

  • Pesto Pasta Is Summertime Bliss. From Grilled Pesto Chicken Skewers to Pesto Pasta Salad, we enjoy delicious pesto recipes all summer long. When it comes to pesto’s highest calling, however, a fresh batch of pasta (or this Chicken Pesto Pasta) is darn near impossible to beat.
  • It’s Easy Yet Impressive. This is the best pesto pasta recipe for an easy weeknight meal or an elegant dinner party. It’s simple to make and ready in under 30 minutes, but it delivers majorly crowd-pleasing flavor.
  • Versatile. Enjoy it as-is, or top it with Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Grilled Shrimp Seasoning, or a vegetarian protein like white beans or plant-based sausage.
Easy pesto pasta using a homemade pesto recipe

How to Make Pesto Pasta

The Ingredients

  • Whole Wheat Pasta. The best pasta shapes for pesto are long noodles, such as spaghetti, bucatini, capellini, or fettuccine. Short shapes like fusilli and rotini are also great, as they will catch the sauce in their ridges.
  • Tomatoes. Pesto pasta with tomatoes is absolutely scrumptious! The sweetness of the tomatoes pairs wonderfully with the nutty, creamy pesto sauce. Tomatoes and pesto pair beautifully in Pesto Chicken, too!
  • Pesto. Go with a classic basil pesto, or try a different pesto you enjoy for this recipe. I love making my own Basil Pesto whenever possible, but store-bought also works.
  • Lemon Juice. For brightness, balance, and acidity.
  • Red Pepper Flakes. Adds a touch of heat. If you prefer less spice, you can omit them.
  • Greens. Sneak extra greens into your pasta by adding some arugula or spinach.
  • Pine Nuts. A finishing sprinkle of toasted pine nuts adds texture and makes this dish complete.
  • Parmesan. While Parmesan is best, if you need to swap it for another cheese, you could try Asiago or Pecorino Romano. Note that Pecorino is saltier, so you should add less.

The Directions

  1. Cook the Pasta. Reserve some pasta water.
Tomatoes in a skillet
  1. Cook the Tomatoes. Cook until they’re beginning to burst.
Noodles and tomatoes in a skillet
  1. Drain the Pasta. Add it to the tomatoes.
Sauce being added to a skillet of noodles and tomatoes
  1. Stir in the Pesto. Toss with the juice, salt, and red pepper flakes until coated. Add reserved pasta water as desired.
Spinach being added to a pan of pasta
  1. Add the Arugula. Stir until it wilts.
A pot with noodles and vegetables
  1. Add Pine Nuts and Parmesan. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

How to make pesto pasta from a jar of pesto or homemade

What to Serve with Pesto Pasta

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Pasta Water Is Your Friend. When trying to create the perfect consistency for our sauce, using pasta water is key. Not only does it help thin the sauce, but the starches in the water also help it cling to the noodles.
  • Don’t Burn the Pine Nuts! If you decide to add the optional pine nuts, it is imperative that you watch them constantly. It only takes a minute for them to go from delightfully toasted to scorched.
  • Grate Your Own Cheese. I can’t over-stress the importance of grating your own cheese. Please skip the lackluster green can and pick up some real-deal Parmesan cheese!
  • Skip Warming the Leftovers. Turn leftovers into a scrumptious pesto pasta salad. Toss in additional greens or enjoy it as is.
A bowl of the best pesto pasta with tomatoes and cheese

Pesto Pasta

4.92 From 12 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 servings
This pesto pasta with tomatoes is the perfect summer meal! Fast and easy with vibrant flavor, enjoy it as a vegetarian dinner or add chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti pasta or fettuccini or another long pasta, which works well for pesto
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ to ⅔ cup Basil Pesto or prepared pesto of choice
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
  • teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 cups arugula or spinach
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts* optional for serving
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. RESERVE 3/4 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER.
  • Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until beginning to burst, about 4 minutes.
  • As soon as the pasta is finished cooking (don’t forget to reserve 3/4 cup of the water), drain it, then immediately add the pasta to the skillet with the tomatoes.
  • Add the pesto, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat the noodles with the pesto, adding additional pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
  • Add the arugula, stirring until it wilts.
  • Sprinkle with pine nuts and Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt as desired. Serve immediately, with additional Parmesan.

Video

Notes

  • *TO TOAST THE PINE NUTS: Place the nuts in a small, dry skillet. Toast over low heat, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and toasted, about 4 minutes. Immediately remove from the skillet.
  • TO STORE: Refrigerate pesto pasta in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
  • TO FREEZE: Freeze pasta in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 12gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 2mgPotassium: 452mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1461IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 3mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1. Simple yet delicious. Pesto adds so much flavor even to the simplest dishes and that’s why I love it so much. The addition of cherry tomatoes added an extra layer of deliciousness. Superb! Thank you, Erin!5 stars

  2. Quick and easy – just how I like a recipe when I get off of work and want to eat right away without spending a ton of time in the kitchen. This is a go-to base recipe to add any protein of your choice. I usually prefer sauteed shrimp with pesto, but chicken works as well.5 stars

  3. Dang this was good. I used penne pasta for this recipe coz that is what I had on hand. I love everything about this dish. Everything works well together, the flavors were awesome.5 stars

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