Creamy Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta
A quick and easy creamy pasta featuring a vibrant garlic scape pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes, and indulgent burrata cheese. Perfect for a fresh, comforting dinner made in about 25 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup packed garlic scapes, roughly chopped (or 3–4 fresh garlic cloves as substitute)
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine pasta
- 1 pint (about 300 grams) cherry tomatoes, halved
- Salt for pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 ball burrata cheese (about 6 ounces)
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Extra olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a rolling boil.
- In a food processor, combine garlic scapes, basil, toasted walnuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Pulse to start breaking down ingredients.
- With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until pesto is creamy and smooth. Add warm pasta water if needed to loosen.
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions (9-11 minutes for al dente). Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add halved cherry tomatoes and salt, cooking 3-4 minutes until softened. Add red pepper flakes if using.
- Add drained pasta to skillet with tomatoes. Stir in garlic scape pesto, adding reserved pasta water gradually to create a creamy sauce that coats the pasta evenly.
- Divide pasta onto plates or a serving bowl. Tear burrata over the top, letting it melt slightly. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Toast nuts lightly for better flavor. Use warm pasta water to loosen pesto sauce. Avoid overblending pesto to prevent bitterness. Add burrata just before serving to keep it creamy. A pinch of sugar can mellow sharp pesto flavors if needed. Store pesto and pasta separately for leftovers and add burrata fresh when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 480
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 44
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 18
Keywords: garlic scape pesto, creamy pasta, burrata pasta, cherry tomato pasta, easy dinner, spring recipe, vegetarian pasta