Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
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Pesto Pasta with fresh tomatoes, asparagus and feta is such a simple recipe to make! It’s great for any quick weeknight meal or a side dish.
You’ll have dinner on the table in just 15 minutes with this dish! Creamy pesto sauce, salty feta and lots of vegetables all on top of your favorite pasta. This is literally all of my favorite flavors in one bowl!
Pesto Pasta Ingredients
- Your favorite pasta – I’ve made this dish with spaghetti, angel hair, fettucini, penne – anything will work!
- asparagus – if you’re making for 4, get 2 bunches!
- cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- minced garlic
- butter (or olive oil)
- basil pesto – you can make your own, but I used the jarred pesto
- half and half (or heavy cream)
- feta cheese
- fresh lemon
- fresh basil leaves
- OPTIONAL: Red pepper flakes if you like a little more spice!
How To Make Pasta with Pesto sauce & veggies:
- In a large pot, boil water for pasta. Add 1 tbsp salt to water.
- When water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.
- While the pasta – In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter
- Add garlic to pan and saute for 1 min
- Trim asparagus by snapping ends off and slice remaining on a diagonal. Slice tomatoes in half.
- Once butter is melted, add asparagus and tomatoes to pan.
- Saute until softened – about 2-3 minutes
- Stir in pesto and half and half
- Remove pan from heat
- Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking liquid
- Drain pasta and add pasta to skillet
- Add the reserved pasta water and toss to combine
- Split pasta and vegetables between two bowls
- Sprinkle crumbled feta over pasta, squeeze of lemon juice and basil ribbons
- Take a taste and add a little coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper if you like
What Pasta is Best With Pesto?
Any pasta works well with pesto! I have used just about every pasta you can think of. It’s hearty enough that it sticks to any pasta dish. Shaped pastas like rigatoni or rotini are good too because the pesto gets in the nooks and crannies!
Can I Eat Pesto Pasta Cold?
Yes – there’s nothing “uncooked” so feel free to use pesto in pasta salad too!
Do you put pesto on pasta before or after cooking?
I find it best to add the pesto to the pasta after the pasta is cooked. If you just want to use pesto on it’s own – once your pasta is cooked – add the pesto and toss!
What meat goes with pesto pasta?
This dish would be fantastic with grilled shrimp or chicken. I make the BEST “grilled” chicken in my air fryer – I promise – you’ll never cook a chicken breast any other way!
Can you eat pesto by itself?
Yes! The first few times I ate pesto, I just schmeared it on a cracker! It’s great on chicken, shrimp or salmon too.
More Favorite Pasta Dishes
- Cheesecake Factory Chicken & Broccoli Pasta
- Skinnilicious Chicken Pasta
- Cheesy Shrimp & Cauliflower Pasta
More Vegetarian Dishes
Pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 bunch asparagus sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- 3 tbsp basil pesto
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/2 lemon
- 10 leaves fresh basil
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil water for pasta. Add 1 tbsp salt to water.
- When water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to package directions.8 oz pasta
- While the pasta – In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter3 tbsp butter
- Add garlic to butter and saute for 1 min2 tsp minced garlic
- Trim asparagus by snapping ends off and slice remaining on a diagonal. Slice tomatoes in half.1 bunch asparagus, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- Once butter is melted, add asparagus and tomatoes to pan.
- Saute until softened – about 2-3 minutes
- While vegetables saute, chiffonade your basil leaves by stacking the leaves – roll them and then thinly slice them into ribbons10 leaves fresh basil
- Stir in pesto and half and half3 tbsp basil pesto, 1/4 cup half and half
- Remove pan from heat
- Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking liquid
- Drain pasta and add pasta to skillet
- Add the reserved pasta water and toss to combine
- Split pasta and vegetables between two bowls
- Sprinkle crumbled feta over pasta, squeeze of lemon juice and basil ribbons1/4 cup feta cheese, 1/2 lemon
- Take a taste and add a little coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper if you like
This looks great – a terrific combination of flavours!
You really can’t beat this pesto pasta. I love the asparagus in it so much.
One of my favorites! These looks absolutely great! can’t wait to try!
You can’t get a better pasta recipe than this. The whole family loves pesto pasta so this is a winner!
My family loves pesto, so I made this pasta for dinner last night and it was a total hit! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!