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Creamy One-Pot Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

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A quick and easy one-pot pasta dish combining fusilli or penne with creamy pesto and sweet cherry tomatoes, perfect for a comforting homemade meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces dried pasta (fusilli or penne recommended)
  • 3 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup prepared pesto
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Toasted pine nuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse and halve the cherry tomatoes. Mince the garlic finely. Measure out pesto, Parmesan, olive oil, and pasta.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large deep skillet or wide saucepan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add cherry tomatoes and stir gently, cooking until they start to soften and release juices, about 3 minutes.
  4. Pour in dried pasta and water or broth. Stir to submerge pasta. Bring liquid to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking, for 10-12 minutes until pasta is al dente and liquid reduces.
  6. Remove from heat. Stir in pesto, Parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and optional pine nuts.

Notes

If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of hot water gradually to reach desired consistency. Stir frequently to prevent pasta from sticking. Use short, sturdy pasta shapes like fusilli or penne for best results. For dairy-free, substitute Parmesan with nutritional yeast and use vegan pesto. Gluten-free pasta can be used for gluten-free diets.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pot pasta, pesto pasta, cherry tomatoes, easy dinner, quick meal, creamy pasta, vegetarian pasta

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