Roasted Feta Pesto Pasta with Blistered Sweet Cherry Tomatoes
I can eat pasta almost every day — spaghetti especially because it’s just so damn fun to eat, super versatile and always filling. The classic pomodoro is one of my favorites in the summertime but I’ve had my fair share of pasta pomodoro in Italy this summer so I decided to opt for another classic…pesto. Rich in flavor yet still light and warm-weather approved, homemade pesto is great to have on hand for just about anything. You can top it on eggs, meat, veggies, and obviously mix in with noodles. I chose a gluten-free spaghetti from Trader Joe’s that’s made with red lentils and brown rice. It tastes just as good as the wheat variety and a bit lighter on the gut.
To layer on some flavor I decided to do something a bit unconventional. I had some feta on hand and thought why not top the pasta with some crumbly salty feta — or better yet, how about warm roasted feta. What took me so long to think of this?! It works so well with this dish.
The oh-so-sweet blistered cherry tomatoes were the perfect accompaniment to the salty nuttiness of the pesto. My tastebuds and my belly were so happy with this perfect marriage of flavors, and I’m pretty positive you will be too!
Don’t forget to check out this summer Spotify playlist I’ve curated for your cooking experience. Make sure to tag #neuereveal so I can see your beautiful creations if you make this dish! Have fun in the kitchen xo
Ingredients
Homemade Pesto:
2 cups basil
3-5 garlic cloves
1 tbsp pine nuts
1/4 - 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Juice from one lemon
1/4 - 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper
For the Pasta:
Spaghetti or pasta of choice (I used Trader Joe’s Red Lentil & Brown Rice Spaghetti)
Cherry tomatoes
1/3 block of feta cheese
Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Start by boiling water for the pasta. Add a generous tablespoon of sea salt and some olive oil for more flavor. Once water starts to boil, cook the pasta as instructed on the package.
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the feta for 10 minutes.
While the water boils and the feta bakes, make the pesto. Place all the ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a food processor and start pulsing, adding the olive oil in gradually until you get to your desired consistency.
Heat some olive oil in a small pan and sauté the tomatoes until soft and slightly blistered, about 5 minutes.
Add the pesto to the cooked pasta and stir until well combined.
Plate the pasta and top with the roasted feta and cherry tomatoes on top. Add some fresh cracked black pepper and enjoy.