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Fresh Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

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A bright and fresh pasta dish featuring homemade garlic scape pesto paired with juicy burst cherry tomatoes. This easy recipe is perfect for spring and summer, delivering a light yet comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup chopped garlic scapes (about 6–8 scapes), fresh and firm
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, fresh and ripe
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 ml)
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts (30 g), lightly toasted
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50 g)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt to taste (kosher or sea salt preferred)
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 12 oz spaghetti or linguine pasta
  • Optional: red pepper flakes for heat
  • Optional: fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse garlic scapes well, pat dry, and roughly chop into 1-inch pieces. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes, shaking frequently until golden and fragrant.
  2. In a food processor, combine chopped garlic scapes, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to start breaking down the ingredients.
  3. Slowly drizzle in olive oil with the processor running until the pesto is smooth but still has some texture. Stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
  5. While pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then toss in cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften and burst.
  6. Add drained pasta to the skillet with tomatoes. Stir in garlic scape pesto, tossing to combine. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if sauce is too thick.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
  8. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan and optional fresh basil leaves.

Notes

Do not overcook cherry tomatoes; they should just start to burst to maintain a balance of juicy and firm texture. Save some pasta water to help the sauce cling to the noodles. Use fresh garlic scapes for best flavor and toast pine nuts lightly to avoid burning.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic scape pesto, pasta recipe, cherry tomatoes, easy dinner, spring recipe, homemade pesto, vegetarian pasta

Find it online: https://cooksybite.com/fresh-garlic-scape-pesto-pasta-recipe-easy-homemade-with-burst-cherry-tomatoes/