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The addition of fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes adds a caprese twist to this incredible pesto pasta recipe making it a unique, delicious take on regular pesto pasta. Enjoy on its own or with your favorite protein for the perfect main dish or side!
Ingredients needed
Homemade pesto:
I give a recipe for homemade pesto sauce, which is always so much more delicious than store bought! Here’s what you’ll need:
Basil – This herb is flavorful, fresh, and is the best part of pesto sauce. I love keeping basil plants on my back porch during the spring and summer months, which allows me to make pesto whenever I want!
Nuts – Pesto sauce is known to use pine nuts, but I honestly never use them because they are so expensive. My favorite nut to use is pecans because they have a wonderful, sweet flavor. However, I also like using cashews and walnuts. You can use any nut you have on hand, or even a mixture of them! If you have a nut allergy, feel free to sub the 1/2 cup of nuts for 1/3 cup of seeds such as pumpkin seeds.
Garlic cloves – These add wonderful flavor to pesto sauce so I always consider them a necessity!
Olive oil – This is important to add moisture to pesto and olive oil has a wonderful depth to the flavor as well.
Lemon juice – Lemon juice helps keep the sauce fresh for longer (both color and taste) and adds a subtle citrusy touch to the sauce. You won’t directly taste it, but the subtle flavor adds a great touch!
Salt, pepper – These classic spices help bring out the flavor in the sauce. Adjust them to your desired preference.
To serve:
Banza pasta – You can use any pasta you want, but I opted for Banza pasta for this dish. It’s made from chickpeas so it is gluten-free and higher protein if that’s something that interests you!
Mozzarella balls – These add a subtle, sweet flavor to the pasta. They also add a nice texture and brighten the pasta a bit.
Cherry tomatoes – The tomatoes are a fresh, delicious addition to the pasta and I love the bright red color of them in contrast to the green pesto!
Customize your caprese pesto pasta
If you want to use up other ingredients in your fridge or pantry here’s what I can recommend:
- Choose the nuts & seeds: Choose a nut or seed you already have on hand. If using large nuts (such as pecans, walnuts, cashews), then use 1/2 cup. If using smaller nuts and seeds (such as pistachios, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts), then use 1/4 cup.
- Add protein: You can add chicken, salmon, or shrimp to the pasta for an extra boost of protein!
- Add a boost of veggies: Feel free to mix in spinach, kale, or even cooked sweet potato cubes for an extra boost of veggies.
Tips for storing & reheating
Store any leftover pesto pasta in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. To reheat, simply do so on the stovetop with a splash of water. You can also do so in a microwave safe dish with a splash of water.
More recipes you’ll love
Baked Cod w/Spicy Red Sauce, Rosemary Potatoes, & Lemon Garlic Green Beans
I hope you love this Caprese Pesto Pasta! Please leave a comment and review if you try it, thanks so much!
Caprese Pesto Pasta
The addition of fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes adds a caprese twist to this incredible pesto pasta recipe making it a unique, delicious take on regular pesto pasta. Enjoy on its own or with your favorite protein for the perfect main dish or side!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stove, Food Processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce:
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup nuts (pine nuts, cashews, walnuts, or almonds)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup parmesan cheese (optional – reduce olive oil to 1/3 cup if omitting cheese)
To Serve:
8oz box pasta (I used Banza which is made from chickpeas and higher protein)
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 oz mozzarella balls
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta as instructed on the package.
- To make the pesto: In a food processor, blend together the garlic cloves, nuts, and olive oil. Add the basil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and parmesan (if using). Blend until smooth.
- Mix together the pasta with the prepared pesto sauce, the mozzarella balls, and the halved cherry tomatoes. Add cracked black pepper if desired and enjoy!
- Please leave a review and a comment below if you made this recipe! <3
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