Treat yourself to the tastiest Pesto Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes! Each bite of this colorful dish is filled with juicy tomatoes and a light, flavorful basil sauce that's so delicious. This recipe is easy enough for busy weeknights, yet impressive enough for company. Make it for dinner tonight!
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Ginnie's Take
I've been growing basil on my balcony, and let's just say, it's been a bountiful harvest! Honestly, it's been difficult to keep up with, and I've been making (and freezing) pesto nonstop. Not necessarily a bad problem to have, but to keep things interesting, I've been experimenting with different ingredients. Recently, I gave my go-to pesto recipe a healthy twist, and I love the light, lemony sauce so much. For this Pesto Tomato Pasta, I tossed that lightened up sauce with bucatini, then topped the pasta with marinated tomatoes. It's truly a match made in heaven, and I know you're going to love this delightful recipe just as much as I do!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious - When you're craving a flavorful, summery dinner, this is the recipe to make! The bright tomato-basil flavors are simply irresistible.
- Easy to Make - The marinated tomatoes are a snap to throw together, and you can make the pesto sauce while the pasta cooks. So quick and easy!
- Great for Any Occasion - This recipe is easy enough for busy weeknights, and with its bold flavors, it's perfect for summer dinner parties, too!
Jump to:
Ingredients
This healthy Pesto Pasta recipe is made with simple, fresh, easy to find ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Sauce - While you can purchase pesto, I can't recommend making your own enough. It's quick and easy, plus so much better than store bought. For this recipe is used my new Low Calorie Pesto recipe. It's much lighter than the traditional sauce, but it's just as flavorful. You'll need fresh basil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and garlic to make it.
- Tomatoes - The pasta is topped with the tastiest Marinated Tomatoes! They're super simple to prepare with cherry or grape tomatoes (I used these colorful Wild Wonders), olive oil, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, and fresh basil.
- Pasta - I used bucatini pasta (a fun shape that's hollow in the middle), but spaghetti or linguine will also work great.
This pasta is naturally vegetarian (as long as you use Parmesan made with microbial or vegetable-based rennet), and you can easily adapt the recipe for different diets. Check out the Variations section below for tips!
You'll Also Need
You will need a cheese grater and a food processor to make the pesto, and a microplane zester comes in handy for zesting the lemon. Grab a sharp knife and a bowl to prep the tomatoes (plus a garlic press, if you have one), and a large pot to cook the pasta.
How to Make Pasta with Tomatoes and Pesto
This Pesto and Tomato Pasta is super quick and easy to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Marinate tomatoes. Start by combining the tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic. Set this mixture aside to marinate while the pasta cooks, then stir in some fresh basil just before serving.
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve a little pasta cooking water, then drain.
- Make pesto. While the pasta cooks, mince the nuts and garlic in your food processor. Add the basil, parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and salt, then blend until smooth.
- Toss pasta with pesto. When the pasta is ready, toss it with the homemade pesto and the reserved pasta cooking water.
- Serve topped with tomatoes. Plate your pasta (I like to use pasta bowls), then top with marinated tomatoes.
Time to eat! You're going to love every last bite of this scrumptious Pesto Tomato Pasta!
Variations
You can easily customize this recipe according to your diet or what's in your pantry:
- Tomatoes - Substitute diced, garden fresh tomatoes, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, or chopped sun dried tomatoes for the marinated tomatoes.
- Pesto - Use any type of homemade pesto, from classic Pesto alla Genovese (basil pesto) to creamy Ricotta Pesto Sauce, bold Rosemary Pesto, or unique Macadamia Pesto.
- Pasta - Replace the bucatini with other strands of pasta (like spaghetti or linguine) or shorter shapes (such as cavatappi, fusilli, trofie, or penne).
- Other Additions - Toss in feta, fresh mozzarella, or parmesan cheese, add chopped olives or marinated artichokes, or mix in fresh or roasted veggies.
- Vegan + Dairy Free - Swap in your favorite plant based parmesan, or skip the cheese altogether.
- Nut Free - Substitute pepitas (or sunflower seeds) for the pine nuts.
- Gluten Free - Toss the pesto with your favorite gluten free pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Tomato and Pesto Pasta with a salad (like my easy Tossed Green Salad or this quick Garden Salad) for a laidback dinner. If you're craving something heartier, add a side of Homemade Garlic Bread and a Berry Crumble or Peach Crisp for dessert.
Storage
Store leftover Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes in an airtight container in your refrigerator, where it will stay fresh for four days. Reheat gently in your microwave before eating. Make Ahead Tip: To save time at dinner, the pesto sauce can be prepared a day or two in advance, then refrigerated. Remove it from the refrigerator while you work on the other ingredients so it has time to warm up before using.
Related Recipes
Looking for more Pesto Pasta ideas? I've got tons of recipes to inspire your next dinner, from Classic Pesto Pasta to Cilantro Pesto Pasta, and so much more:
- Craving something creamy? You'll LOVE this luscious Ricotta Pesto Pasta!
- Swap out the pasta and make this wonderful Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce instead.
- This delightful Pasta alla Trapanese gives your favorite sauce a tasty tomato-based twist!
- Have a refrigerator full of kale? Make this yummy Kale Pesto Pasta.
- This unique Southwest Pasta Salad is bursting with lively flavors!
Pesto Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
For Marinated Tomatoes:
- 1 pound (454 grams) cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil (or other herbs)
For Pasta:
- 1 pound (454 grams) bucatini pasta (or spaghetti, linguine, etc.)
For Pesto:
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 1 large clove garlic
- 4 cups basil leaves (lightly packed)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- zest from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
Prepare Marinated Tomatoes:
- Cut 1 pound cherry tomatoes in half, or in quarters, depending on their size. Place in a medium bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional), and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well, then adjust seasoning with additional salt, if needed.
- Let tomatoes marinate for 20 to 30 minutes (or for up to 2 hours) at room temperature. Stir in 2 tablespoons sliced basil just before serving.
Cook Pasta:
- While tomatoes marinate, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound bucatini (or other pasta), then cook until al dente.
- Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water. Then drain pasta in a colander. Return to pot once drained.
Prepare Pesto:
- While pasta cooks, mince 2 tablespoons pine nuts and 1 large clove garlic in food processor.
- Add 4 cups basil leaves (lightly packed), ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup shredded Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, zest from 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons water, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to food processor. Blend just until a smooth sauce forms.
- Taste pesto, then season generously with additional salt to taste. (I used 1 teaspoon total).
Assemble Pasta:
- Add pesto to pasta, along with a splash of pasta cooking water. Toss until pasta is well-coated in sauce, adding extra water only if needed. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
- Serve pasta topped with marinated tomatoes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
