This is my third savoury recipe in a row, largely because it was a less than perfect week in the kitchen dessert-wise, and also because I’m slowing down the baking until my freezer full of cakes and cookies somehow empties itself! Anyway, I’m happy to finally be sharing this pesto pasta, something that I make all the time and never got around to treating it like a blog recipe. It’s easy, it’s healthy and it’s absolutely bursting with flavour. Let’s cook!

This basil pesto has featured on the blog before in mozzarella filled rolls (omg so good!) and a delicious flatbread. The basic recipe remains the same, I just use a little more olive oil when I’m making it for this pesto. While pine nuts are traditional, I never have them on hand and sometimes use walnuts, but I prefer it nut-free honestly. It’s garlicky, a little lemon-y and once stirred into the pasta, it may not look super bright green but I promise, it’s aaaalllll flavour.

With the pesto, I love garlicky mushrooms sautéed in olive till they’re slightly browned, and cherry tomatoes cooked on high heat till they’re a little burst and blistered (I really wish there was a prettier word to use instead). I sometimes halve them, sometimes not and I was lucky to get a box of really perfect looking ones so just added them whole this time.

And while I’m sure this is blasphemy, I love crumbled feta in my pesto! Parmesan is traditional and again, I was lucky to have some in the fridge and it tastes incredible freshly grated into the bowl. If you prefer to skip cheese altogether and keep it vegan, it’s delicious even then!

I like using a wholewheat fusilli here so that the pesto sticks better to it, but penne or even spaghetti work really well. Use what you have! The flavours are simple but lovely and I’m already hoping I find basil again soon to make this tomorrow! I hope you’ll try this soon 🙂

Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms & Cherry Tomatoes

Wholewheat pasta with an easy pesto, sautéed mushrooms and burst cherry tomatoes

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Makes: 2 to 3 servings

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Ingredients

For the pesto

2 cups basil leaves, rinsed
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tsps lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pasta and veggies

2 and 1/2 cups wholewheat fusilli pasta (or any other that you like)
2 tbsps olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
200 gms button mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
200 gms cherry tomatoes, whole or halved
Optional: grated parmesan or crumbled feta to sprinkle on top

Instructions

First, make the pesto. Simply combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend till you achieve your desired consistency, I like my pesto to be quite smooth, some people like it coarser. Taste and adjust the lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside. At this stage, you can also stir in some toasted pine nuts or walnuts.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and let it cook until it's soft but with a slight bite, about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, add the olive oil to a pan on medium high heat, along with the garlic. Stir briefly, then add the mushrooms with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have lightly browned around the edges. Transfer to a bowl, then add the tomatoes to the same bowl. Cook on high heat until they are blistered on the outside.
Now drain the cooked pasta (if you like a little bit of 'sauce', reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water). Add it back to the pot, along with the pesto, mushrooms and tomatoes (plus the pasta water if desired). On low heat, stir everything together until the pesto has coated all of the pasta, and the pasta is warmed through.
Serve immediately, garnished with lots of parmesan or crumbled feta. Dig in! Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Happy cooking!