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Fresh Herb Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

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A quick and vibrant pasta dish featuring a fresh herb pesto made with basil, parsley, and mint, tossed with sautéed cherry tomatoes and pasta. Perfect for a light, flavorful meal any time of year.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)
  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (packed)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (packed, optional)
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (can substitute walnuts)
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 12 oz pasta of your choice (linguine or spaghetti recommended)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing tomatoes)
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
  • Extra Parmesan for serving

Instructions

  1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove immediately to cool.
  2. In a food processor, combine basil, parsley, mint leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. Pulse a few times to chop.
  3. With the processor running, slowly add olive oil and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth but still slightly textured. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water if pesto is too thick.
  4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, about 10-12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and blistered, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
  6. Add drained pasta to the skillet with tomatoes. Toss with fresh herb pesto, adding reserved pasta water gradually to create a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves before serving.

Notes

Toast pine nuts gently to avoid bitterness. Use fresh herbs for best flavor. Do not overblend pesto to maintain texture. Reserve pasta water to loosen sauce. Do not rinse pasta after draining to help sauce stick. Pesto can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen in ice cube trays.

Nutrition

Keywords: pesto pasta, fresh herb pesto, cherry tomato pasta, easy pasta recipe, summer pasta, basil pesto, vegetarian pasta

Find it online: https://blixfood.com/fresh-herb-pesto-pasta-recipe-easy-vibrant-cherry-tomato-pasta/