This has all my favorite summer things on one plate: bright and nutty pesto, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes and creamy burrata. I can eat pesto pasta and Caprese salads all summer and this dish has both on one plate. Best of all, it’s an easy dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes.
key ingredients for pesto
I’ll be honest. When I make pesto, I don’t measure the ingredients. I eyeball everything when I throw it into the food processor. Then I taste it frequently after a couple of pulses. Sometimes I like my pesto nuttier and sometimes I like it cheesier. It depends on my mood and what I’m making with the pesto. The ingredients and measurements for my pesto are listed in the recipe card below. However, please feel free to get creative and make it your pesto.
- Fresh Basil: It’s one of those herbs that you really have to eat right away because basil will wilt and brown within just a few days. For longer-term storage, avoid storing them in the refrigerator. Use the flower bouquet method where you trim the stems of the basil and place it in a jar with just enough water to cover the bottoms of the stems. Then keep the basil in a sunny and cool location. This method will help the basil last longer than when stored in the fridge.
- Pine Nuts vs Walnuts: Traditional pesto requires pine nuts but they’re also expensive. An 8 oz bag of pine nuts costs $17 at Whole Foods while the same amount of walnuts costs half the price. So if you’re on a budget, go for the walnuts. Although the pesto won’t be as creamy with walnuts, I do love the texture that walnuts add to the pesto. Just make sure to use raw and unsalted walnuts.
- Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano: When making pesto, it’s best to use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Please try to avoid the pre-grated packaged parmesan. Yes, it’s an extra step but trust me. Using freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano in your pesto will make a huge difference in flavor.
Pesto Pasta With Roasted Tomato Burrata
This dish has all my favorite summer ingredients on one plate. If you love pesto and Caprese salads then this dish is for you. It's a quick and healthy-ish dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil
- 3 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts raw and unsalted
- 1 garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly grated
- kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
Roasted Tomatoes
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Pasta Assembly
- 16 oz cooked pasta Rotini or Penne, cooked al dente
- 8 oz Burrata
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly grated
Instructions
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Add the tomatoes to a medium bowl and season generously with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until the tomatoes soften and develop some char.
Pesto
- In a food processor, add all the ingredients and pulse until the pesto is finely puréed.
Pasta Assembly
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt the boiling water and cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Then drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
- Mix in half the pesto to the pasta. Gradually add more until you get to your desired level of pesto in your pasta.
- Tear apart the burrata with your fingers into bite size chunks. Then add the burrata and roasted tomatoes onto each plate of pasta.
- For a final garnish, drizzle the dish with some extra olive oil, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, pinch of salt, freshly cracked black pepper and fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!
