This recipe is a great way to use the bounty of your herb garden. Lunch, dinner, or meatless Mondays – this summer pesto pasta is packed with flavor and color.
All summer I’ve been attempting to keep an herb garden alive. I had one success a few years ago when I planted several herbs and flowers in a sunny stone planter at a rental house. That patch did well—mostly because it had excellent light and, apparently, better luck than I do.
This time I tried a more controlled approach. I bought three small planters for mint, chives and cilantro, and a larger pot for basil to share with a pineapple sage seedling I picked up at the farmer’s market. They sit on my patio where they get the best sunlight available in my yard.
So far, results are mixed. The cilantro bolted into coriander, which is normal but takes over quickly. The chives look floppy—perhaps from too much water. The mint, predictably, is thriving and is glad to have its own container. The basil and pineapple sage started out beautifully, but then I noticed nibbled leaves. At first I suspected squirrels, but it turned out to be my dog Nero sampling the plants. He chewed every leaf off the sage, which I later learned can be harmful to dogs. To be safe I removed the remaining sage, leaving a lonely basil plant in its pot.
I didn’t want the basil to feel abandoned, so I put it to good use: pesto. I rescued what cilantro I could from the coriander, added a bit more from the grocery store, and blended it together with the basil for a bright, herb-forward pesto. Tossed with your favorite pasta—rotini or penne work particularly well—and halved cherry tomatoes, it makes a fast, colorful meal perfect for warm weather.
When mixing multiple herbs in pesto, I recommend using them in equal amounts so no single flavor overwhelms the rest. For this batch I used about one packed cup of basil and one cup of cilantro. Pine nuts add a mild richness, garlic gives a savory lift, and Parmesan brings the savory, salty finish. It’s simple, fresh, and adaptable: use whole wheat or gluten-free pasta if you prefer.
This dish is an easy way to showcase fresh herbs from your garden or farmer’s market. Serve it warm or at room temperature—either way it’s a satisfying, vegetarian-friendly plate with bright color and lively flavor. Below is the complete recipe and nutrition details for the batch shown here.
Summer Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta rotini or penne
- 2 cups fresh herbs basil, cilantro, parsley or sage (or a combination)
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain but do not rinse.
- While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: in a food processor or blender combine the herbs, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Puree until smooth.
- Add the Parmesan cheese to the food processor and blend until combined.
- In a large bowl, toss the hot pasta with the pesto and the halved cherry tomatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 59.6 g
| Protein: 14.2 g
| Fat: 14.8 g
| Sodium: 539.9 mg
Let us know how it was in the comments.
