Homemade Pesto with Bucatini, Black Olive, and and Fresh Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Fresh basil pesto is tossed with salty olives and sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, bringing a ton of flavor to the dish. Bucatini is a pasta that’s best described as “hollow spaghetti”. It holds sauce extra-well, especially a “sticker” sauce like pesto. This makes a GREAT next-day lunch, and reheats well- it also freezes well if you want to double it and save some for another day. 

Homemade Pesto with Bucatini, Black Olive, and and Fresh Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

Produce

fresh basil2 cups, loosely packed
garlic1 clove
black or green olives1 cup, pitted
cherry tomato12 ounces

Dairy

grated parmesan1/3 cup

Dry Goods

olive oil1/2 cup
bucatini pasta16 ounces

Instructions

Make It from Fresh: Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the bucatini. Cook until al dente, drain, and set aside. 
  3. Spread the cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a big pinch of salt and a shower of freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
  4. Place in the oven and roast 5-8 minutes, until wilted and beginning to brown.
  5. Add the basil, parmesan cheese, and garlic to a blender or food processor. 
  6. Turn on “puree” and add the olive oil in a slow stream, pausing the blender occasionally to scrape down the sides and mix. 
  7. Blend the pesto until smooth, adding more olive oil slowly until it is creamy and combined. 
  8. Once the cherry tomatoes have roasted, add to the pot of drained bucatini.
  9. Add the pesto to the pasta and toss until everything is combined. 
  10. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes and gently stir to mix.
  11. Serve warm.

Prep Plan

Prep it for later:
1. Preheat oven and roast cherry tomatoes.
2. Cook pasta according to instructions and transfer to a large resealable bag or container.
3. Blend the pesto according to instructions and toss with the cooked pasta.
4. Remove the pits, if needed, from the olives and then chop.
5. Add chopped olives and roasted cherry tomatoes to the container with the pasta and pesto.
These items should last for up to 5 days in the fridge, and 2 months in the freezer.

You’ll need:
1 bag or container of cooked pasta tossed with pesto, roasted tomatoes, and chopped olives

Prepare from prepped:
If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat pasta in the microwave or in a pan over low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.