Welcome to your quick summer dinner dream!
It honestly doesn’t get much better than this.
Though a crisp glass of ice-cold rosé, a chilled beer with a lime, garlic bread grilled until perfectly charred, or an extra ball of burrata would all be welcome additions.
There was a time I wasn’t a pesto fan. Looking back, I think it was because I hadn’t tried truly great or homemade pesto. Growing your own herbs makes a difference — watching basil flourish seems to make it taste better somehow.
Last year my herbs and tomatoes were unbelievable; this year they’ve been underwhelming. Fortunately I managed to keep two green basil plants and one purple basil plant, which has given me enough fresh basil to make a good batch of pesto — not a year’s supply, but plenty for summer meals. Fingers crossed the season improves.
I’m counting on it!
This dish is embarrassingly simple and perfect for summer: satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen or firing up the oven. It’s packed with flavor and comes together quickly.
All you do is toss hot bucatini with pesto — basil pesto is classic, but arugula or pistachio pesto work beautifully too — sprinkle in fresh herbs and top with one big ball (or two, or three) of burrata. That’s it. Comforting, bright, and indulgent.
I made a big batch of this recently during a rainy weekend while binge-watching Stranger Things. It felt nostalgic and slightly spooky in the best way — the perfect excuse to eat pasta and relax. Additions like roasted garlic, crunchy breadcrumbs, or a spritz of lemon are all excellent, but don’t skip the rosé.
Rainy-day binge + burrata pesto pasta = the most excellent meal. Simple, fast, and endlessly adaptable.
Pesto Pasta with Burrata
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Ingredients
- 1 pound bucatini, cooked
- 2 or 3, or 4! large balls of burrata cheese
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, for topping
- a big handful of fresh basil leaves
pesto
- 4 cups fresh basil
- 1/2 cup asiago cheese
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Cook the bucatini according to package directions and drain. While the pasta is still hot, toss it with the pesto — start with about 1/4 cup and add more to taste. Toss for a few minutes so each strand is coated and the pesto is evenly distributed. Place whole balls of burrata in the center, gently pull them apart, and toss again so the creamy cheese coats the pasta. Finish with fresh basil and grated parmesan, then serve.
pesto
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To make the pesto, combine the basil, asiago (or parmesan), toasted pine nuts and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are broken down, then stream in the olive oil with the processor running until you reach the desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and taste, adjusting seasoning as needed.
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To toast pine nuts: place them in a skillet over low heat and shake or stir frequently until golden and fragrant, about 4–6 minutes. Watch closely so they don’t burn.
Did you make this recipe?
I appreciate you so much!
The melty, coated noodles are mine — and they’ll be yours in minutes.