When only the best will do! Girelle Pasta with Basil Pesto and Sautéed Tomatoes provides a taste of summer that’ll have you wishing it was summer all year long!
We love our basil. And our garlic. Oh yeah, and cheese. (Lots of it! 😉 ) Throw in some toasted pine nuts, tomatoes, olive oil, and pasta, and we are living large, my friends!
These are some of my favorite ingredients. Each delivering enough flavor to stand alone, yet when combined – come together to create a symphony.
I will even go so far to say that the combination of these flavors are meant to be together. Sooooo seriously delicious!
We were due for some pesto! And because the basil looked absolutely gorgeous, there was no stopping me. I was craving cozy, homey and delish, in the form of a pasta dish (of course), and pesto pasta was the winner!
I decided to use Girelle pasta for its unique little curly-q shape. A hollow corkscrew – great for capturing thicker made sauces – and is just perfect for our homemade pesto. Yum!
The lovely thing about this recipe…it can be served warm or chilled, making for a fabulous summertime pasta salad!
HOW TO PREPARE THIS DISH:
- Begin with sautéing your cherry tomatoes. Be sure to use a sauté pan big enough to fit the tomatoes in one layer.
- Add your olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper, then wait for the sounds. Yep, you read that right…sounds. The tomatoes will begin to crackle and pop and split open and lose their firm little shape. That’s what we want.
- Remove pan from the heat and set aside when the tomatoes are cooked to your liking.
- Next, make your pesto. Start by packing basil leaves, garlic, and toasted pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Add your olive oil, salt, and pepper, and process until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Transfer the pesto to a large mixing bowl, mix in the Romano, and voila!
- Lastly, boil your pasta to al dente. TIP: Take one or two minutes off the recommended cooking time on the box. This results in a bite that gives a little resistance but is cooked through.
- In a large serving bowl, combine everything, throw in a little fresh mozzarella, and prepare to be delighted.
I highly recommend you grab a loaf of Italian bread; there’s nothing better than sopping up those delectable bits with a nice piece of crusty bread. 🙂
Buon Appetito!
MORE PESTO:
Prime Rib Panini with Pesto & Mozzarella
Farmers’ Market Pasta with Basil Pesto & Pine Nuts
Girelle with Basil Pesto & Sautéed Tomatoes
Description
When only the best will do! Girelle Pasta with Basil Pesto and Sautéed Tomatoes provides a taste of summer that’ll have you wishing it was summer all year long!
Ingredients
1 qt. cherry or grape tomatoes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
4 cups packed fresh basil leaves
3 – 5 cloves garlic, lightly chopped
1/2 – 1 cup toasted pine nuts (place pine nuts in a small frying pan and toast for 2–3 minutes until slightly browned and aromatic)
1 cup of olive oil
kosher salt and cracked black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 lb. Girelle (or pasta to your liking)
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella
Instructions
Sauté Tomatoes
Place tomatoes in a single layer in a sauté pan.
Add 3 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper; mix until fully covered.
Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes, tossing occasionally until the tomatoes crack and lose their firmness. Set aside.
Basil Pesto
Combine the basil, garlic, and toasted pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Slowly add the 1 cup olive oil. Process until fully incorporated and smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a bowl and mix in (by hand) the Romano cheese.
Pasta
Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 9 minutes.
In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, 1 cup of pesto and 1/2 lb. of mozzarella torn into bite-sized pieces.
Serve warm or chilled for a terrific summertime salad!
Notes
Can be served warm or cold for a delicious summertime salad!
This looks wonderful Annie! Love basil pesto and those sauteed tomatoes are calling my name!
Thanks, Leanne! This meal is a summer staple!
We’ve got a bunch of basil in the backyard this year, and now I know what I should do with it! Terrific looking pasta my friend!! I love the shape of the noodles you chose 🙂
This is the first year we’re growing basil, too – and I love it! Bring on the pesto!! Thanks, friend!!
This is THE summer combo, Annie! And that pasta shape is sooo fun! Quick easy and so much flavor… I’m loving the pine nuts <3
Can’t beat a toasty pine nut!! Thanks, Traci!
This is truly the perfect summer pasta, Annie! Fresh pesto and those jammy tomatoes are heavenly and love the shape of Girelle pasta!
Truly perfect for summer!!! Thanks, friend!
I have a thriving basil plant this year, so I’m all about the basil, too. And the garlic. And the cheese 🙂 This looks perfect!
Nothin’ better than that! Thanks, Jennifer!
We love basil too! I’ve tried numerous times to grow with no luck, so I usually just pick up from the grocery store now. I’ve gotta make a trip so I can add this deliciousness to the menu soon. Talk about gorgeous colours and flavours! Pinned! Happy weekend ahead, my friend 🙂 XO
I have a little container garden on the patio, with two filled with basil….so far so good! So happy you like! Thanks, friend! xo
I love that pasta shape Annie! This dish has my name written all over it. There’s nothing better than Jersey tomatoes during the summer. I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Yaaaas – so simple but on point..every time!! Enjoy!
Beautiful. I’ve never seen this pasta before – it’s so pretty! This is a dish my husband could eat every day of his life – without the tomatoes. Which is why I have jars and jars of pesto in the freezer. I think he could eat ice cream topped with pesto!
Yeah, I thought this shape was fun one!! Hmmm – ice cream? I may need to try that! 😉
The very best combination of flavours, Annie! What a lovely, colourful dish.
I could eat this every day! Thanks, Alex!
You can NEVER go wrong with basil, garlic, pasta, and grape tomatoes. I could eat that combo every day!! The girelle pasta are fantastic for holding on to any juices they can find.This dish is certainly just as good, no BETTER, than dining out. This way I can eat in my jammies and not feel guilty. Buona giornata e un abbraccio forte forte!
100%! You can NEVER go wrong with a dish like this! I’d stay in for this, before dining out, 10 out of 10 times, too! Thanks, Marisa!!