Hi everyone — I’m back after a short break. I had planned to schedule posts while away, but last-minute travel and a house without internet kept me offline. Sometimes a spontaneous pause is exactly what you need.
Today’s post is a simple, comforting baked pesto pasta. I first tried a version like this in Scotland when a friend baked it for me and I’ve wanted to recreate it ever since. I often use pesto on sandwiches or toss it with plain pasta, but this time I decided to bake it — and it did not disappoint.
This recipe is cheesy but not overloaded. Since pesto already contains cheese, the dish felt rich enough for me; feel free to add more if you love extra melty cheese. You can use any pesto you have on hand — I used spinach pesto for this batch, but classic basil pesto, kale pesto, or coriander pesto would work beautifully too.
If you already have pesto ready, this dish comes together in minutes. Toss cooked pasta with pesto and a few other ingredients, transfer to a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake until melted. It’s a quick weeknight dinner that’s satisfying and full of flavor. Try it and tell me how it turns out!
Method
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain.
2. While the pasta is still warm, mix in the prepared pesto sauce so it coats the pasta evenly.
3. Add halved cherry tomatoes and stir to combine.
4. Add a splash of water (about 1/4 cup) to loosen the mixture if needed and transfer everything to an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
5. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top — any melting cheese you like.
6. Bake at 400°F for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and started to turn golden.
7. Serve immediately. Leftovers reheat well and taste great the next day.
* Add as much cheese as you like — I used a three-cheese blend, but any melting cheese works.
* For extra vegetables, try adding onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms before baking.
Recipe adapted from Pinch Of Yum.
Baked Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ lb pasta, use one that you like
- 3/4 cup pesto [basil or spinach or any pesto of choice]
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup cheese, grated of your choice
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
Instructions
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Boil the pasta according to package instructions and drain.
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Toss the hot pasta with the pesto so it coats evenly.
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Stir in halved cherry tomatoes.
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Add about 1/4 cup water if needed to loosen the mixture and transfer to an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
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Top with grated cheese of your choice.
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Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and is slightly golden.
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Serve hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Baked Pesto Pasta
