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Fresh Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta Recipe with Cherry Tomatoes

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A quick and easy pasta dish featuring a vibrant pesto made from fresh garlic scapes, tossed with spaghetti and juicy cherry tomatoes for a fresh summer meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8–10 fresh garlic scapes, washed and roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 12 oz spaghetti or linguine pasta

Instructions

  1. Wash and roughly chop 8-10 fresh garlic scapes into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Toast 1/2 cup walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add 12 oz spaghetti or linguine and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
  4. In a food processor, combine chopped garlic scapes, cooled walnuts, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Pulse until smooth but still a bit textured. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen pesto.
  5. While pasta cooks, halve 1 pint cherry tomatoes and set aside.
  6. Transfer hot pasta to a large bowl. Add pesto and gently toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water little by little to achieve a silky consistency.
  7. Fold in halved cherry tomatoes and adjust seasoning if needed.
  8. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan or a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Notes

Do not overblend the pesto to maintain texture. Reserve pasta water to loosen pesto and help it cling to pasta. Toast nuts gently to avoid bitterness. Salt pasta water well for best flavor. For vegan version, substitute Parmesan with nutritional yeast and use dairy-free pasta. Nut-free version can omit walnuts or substitute with sunflower seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic scape pesto, cherry tomato pasta, easy pasta recipe, summer pasta, fresh pesto, walnut pesto, vegetarian pasta

Find it online: https://bitematrix.com/fresh-garlic-scape-pesto-pasta-recipe-with-cherry-tomatoes-easy-and-delicious/