Pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes
Pasta tossed in a quick blender basil pesto (or a good store-bought one) with juicy cherry tomatoes and Parmesan. An easy vegetarian dinner in 17 minutes.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serve
- 830 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (an electric kettle speeds this up). Halve the tomatoes while it heats.
Cook the pasta according to the package, usually 9 to 11 minutes. Scoop out a mugful of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, olive oil, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt in a blender or small food processor, scraping down once, until you have a spoonable, bright green sauce. Or use 120 g (about 1/2 cup) store-bought pesto labeled vegetarian.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot off the heat. Add the pesto and 3 to 4 tbsp of pasta water and toss until glossy and every piece is coated.
Fold in the cherry tomatoes, season with pepper and serve topped with extra grated cheese.
Tips
- Toss pesto with the pasta off the heat: cooking it turns the basil dark and dull.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 2 minutes while the water heats for a deeper, nuttier pesto.
- True Parmigiano-Reggiano and most store-bought pesto use animal rennet, so check the label for microbial or vegetable rennet to keep it vegetarian.
