Creamy Pesto Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes
I’m living out my Italian summer dreams with this Gluten-Free Creamy Pesto Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes! I don’t know where this pasta dish has been all my life but now that I’ve made it, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make anything else from now on. It’s so luscious and absolutely bursting with flavor from the herby pesto and the sweet tomatoes.
Servings : about 4-6
Prep Time : 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Blistered Tomatoes
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons chopped garlic
flaky salt + pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Pesto Pasta
16 oz gluten-free pasta
1 cup basil pesto, jarred or homemade
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
For Serving
1 cup marinated mozzarella pearls
lemon zest, to taste
freshly squeezed juice, to taste
freshly grated parmesan
balsamic vinegar, optional for serving
Directions
For the Blistered Tomatoes
Rinse the tomatoes and pat them dry. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add in the tomatoes and let them cook for about 2-3 minutes without moving them until they start to blister on the bottom.
Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until all the tomatoes are blistered evenly. Stirring occasionally.
Remove the tomatoes from the heat and transfer them to a bowl. Toss them with a handful of fresh basil and set aside.
For the Pesto Pasta
In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, whisk together the pesto and heavy cream until fully combined. Reduce the heat to low while you prepare your pasta.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water then remove the pasta from the heat and drain.
Add the cooked pasta into the pesto sauce, stirring to fully coat the pasta in the sauce. Pour in the reserved pasta water, a small amount at a time, as needed to help emulsify the sauce until it is smooth and creamy.
To Serve
Spoon on the blistered tomatoes and mozzarella pearls. Give everything a final gentle toss to combine.
Serve the pasta topped with a spritz of fresh lemon juice, freshly grated parmesan and lemon zest along with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
