Description
A vibrant and fresh summer pasta dish featuring a unique garlic scape pesto paired with juicy cherry tomatoes and al dente pasta. Quick, easy, and perfect for warm weather meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup chopped garlic scapes
- 1 to 1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta (spaghetti or linguine recommended)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 ounces (340 grams) of pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup (120 ml) pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast ¼ cup pine nuts, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine chopped garlic scapes, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, and ⅓ cup olive oil. Pulse until smooth but still textured. Add more olive oil or reserved pasta water if pesto is too thick.
- Optional: In the same skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and cook halved cherry tomatoes over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Return drained pasta to the pot or a large bowl. Add pesto and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to help pesto cling to pasta.
- Gently fold in warm cherry tomatoes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt as needed. Garnish with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
- Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
Toast pine nuts carefully to avoid burning for best flavor. Reserve pasta water to loosen pesto and help it cling to pasta. Pulse pesto in bursts to avoid bitterness. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. For vegan version, substitute Parmesan with nutritional yeast and use egg-free pasta. Gluten-free pasta options work well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup pasta wi
- Calories: 450500
- Sugar: 46
- Sodium: 400600
- Fat: 1822
- Saturated Fat: 34
- Carbohydrates: 5055
- Fiber: 46
- Protein: 1518
Keywords: garlic scape pesto, cherry tomatoes, summer pasta, easy pesto recipe, fresh pasta sauce, vegetarian pasta, quick dinner