Cheesy Pesto and Tomato Pasta: A creamy, cheesy pasta made with homemade basil pesto and tossed with garden-fresh tomatoes! Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Last year my husband and I tried to start a patio garden and within a few weeks, everything died. This year I asked one of my friends who had an amazing garden last year for a few tips, and oh boy did it make a difference! We have beautiful flowers, basil, and two types of hybrid tomatoes. And when our basil plant started producing like crazy, plus our tomato plant started producing beautiful red tomatoes, I knew it was time to create my own recipe. I decided to go with a spin-off of the Noodles and Co. Pesto Cavatappi, because it is delicious and I wanted it at home. It turned out AMAZING, and because there are no pine nuts in the pesto, it is okay for people allergic to nuts (like me)!
Let me just tell you, this recipe is amazing. It is creamy and cheesy and full of fresh garden goodness. I have made it several times since coming up with it about a month ago, and I’m sure you will fall in love with it, too! Plus my basil plant just keeps putting out a ton of leaves, and I need to use them somehow!
This dish is delicious at lunch or dinner, and the leftovers taste good, too! That is, of course, if you have any!
Cheesy Pesto and Tomato Pasta: A creamy, cheesy pasta made with homemade basil pesto and tossed with garden-fresh tomatoes! Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Cheesy Pesto and Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
I seriously hope that you get to try this recipe, especially with basil and tomatoes from your own garden. I don’t know why, but it just tastes better when you eat it knowing you grew part of it!
So really, I beg you to try this recipe. You will not be sorry!
Chelsea says
I don't blame you for having some early! I can never resist sampling when I make things for other people!
Rivka says
Was so excited by this but found it kind of tasteless what am I doing wrong???
Chelsea says
My guess is maybe your basil wasn't strong enough? Or maybe you had bad tomatoes? I'm not sure, I love it every time I make it!
anna says
What can I replace the whipped cream for?
sammy says
This pasta looks really tasty! The only thing I would add is some sort of protein, either chicken or shrimp. I will defiantly be testing this one out 🙂 I made this pasta the other day its a Chicken Penne Pasta in a Smoked Cream Sauce! http://happywifehappy.life/rotisserie-style-chick… really good, you should try it out sometime!
Chelsea says
That's a great idea! I am a vegetarian so we have never added a meat to this, but I bet my husband would be thrilled if I did!
Chelsea says
I have never tried replacing it, so I am not sure. I would say maybe half and half or milk, but I don't think it would turn out as thick.
Kate says
Amazing post, Chelsea! I am not exactly a fan of pesto dishes but this one is a wonderful exception. So cheesy and creamy! I just wish I had my own garden, I’m sure it would’ve made it an ultimate dish.
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks, Kate! I am so glad you liked it! It’s definitely one of my favorites!