Homemade Pesto Pasta

by Heidi Larsen Updated: Apr 11, 2026

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Busy weeknights call for simple recipes that can be pulled together in a flash, and nothing’s simpler than a basic (but not boring!) pesto pasta that even a kid can make and clean up after too.

pesto pasta with fresh tomatoes in a bowl

The Simple Pasta Recipe I Always Make with My Summer Pesto

Every summer when my garden is overflowing with basil, I get busy making jars of my favorite homemade basil pesto recipe.

I incorporate it into a variety of dishes, like my pesto chicken, pesto pasta salad, and arugula salad with pesto shrimp, Parmesan, and white beans.

This super simple pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes is one recipe I love having in my back pocket. It’s a total weeknight savior, for busy days when I need to get dinner on the table fast, but don’t want to think about cooking.

Enjoy!

Ingredient Notes

The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.

Pasta

Pesto works for any shape of pasta, but typically long and thin or short and compact varieties are most familiar. I used the thicker bucatini here, but spaghetti, linguine, or any other long noodle works great.

Pesto

I made this simple pasta with the fresh basil pesto I always keep stashed in the freezer (freeze it in ice cube trays for easier measuring!). It’s made with tons of basil, toasted pine nuts, grated Parm, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon.

For a different flavor profile, swap out the basil pesto for tomato pesto, kale pesto, or even arugula pesto.

Out of pine nuts or simply can’t afford them? Walnuts, Marcona almonds, and even pistachios are tasty alternatives.

Mix-Ins

Fresh cherry tomatoes add sweet juiciness to the pasta, but they can be subbed with roasted tomatoes (another summer fave), leftover grilled asparagus, parmesan zucchini, or any veggie you have on hand.

For a bump of protein, try adding crispy parmesan crusted chicken, garlicky shrimp, grilled salmon.

pesto pasta with toasted pine nuts in a bowl

How to Make Pasta with Pesto

Cook your pasta 1 minute shy of the package instructions. You want it to retain some chewiness; soft, mushy pasta is a no-no.

Heidi’s Tip: Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. This is the secret ingredient that helps the pesto cling to the pasta and prevents the dish from being dry.

Make the pesto. This is such an easy recipe that comes together in about 5 minutes thanks to your food processor. Be sure to pulse your food processor or blender when chopping the herbs. This will keep it a fresh green color rather than a murky, bottom-of-the-pond color.
Toss and season. For restaurant-quality presentation, you want to toss the hot pasta with the pesto in a large mixing bowl. Add the reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until the pasta is nice and saucy.
Top with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan. I use my microplane to grate the Parm right over the pasta.

What to Serve With Pesto Pasta

Pesto pasta can certainly make a meal on its own, but it also comes together quickly as an easy side dish. Here are a few main meal ideas to cozy it up next to.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4.11 from 48 votes