Rotini with Pesto and Burrata
Rotini with Pesto and Burrata is one of our favorite summer pastas. I start this pasta dish by making a fresh basil and pine nut pesto. Then, I toss the pesto with rotini pasta, tomatoes, arugula, and parmesan cheese. Finally, I top this yummy mixture with balls of burrata cheese. We like this dish for several reasons. First of all, I like that I can serve this pasta hot or cold. In fact, I served it warm the first night topped with burrata. Then, two nights later, I served it cold without the burrata. Secondly, I like that it can be made ahead of time. Then, I just reheat it in the microwave. Thirdly, I like that I can serve this as a main dish or as a side dish. Again, the first night I served it as a main dish. And the second night I served it as a side dish with chicken parmesan. And, finally, we all love the al dente pasta, the aromatic pesto, and the creamy burrata cheese in this dish.
The Equipment I Used
- A Food Processor- You’ll need this to make the pesto.
- A Large Pot- Use this to boil the pasta.
The Ingredients Needed for Rotini with Pesto and Burrata
- Rotini- I always use Barilla rotini.
- Kosher Salt- Use this to salt your pasta water. I use the Diamond brand kosher salt. If you use a different brand use only two tablespoons.
- Burrata Cheese- I could only find a giant ball of burrata. But smaller balls to go on each portion would also be nice.
How I Made my Pasta with Pesto
- First, I made the pesto. Use the food processor to chop everything finely. Then, drizzle in the oil and blend until combined.
- Then, I tossed the pesto, arugula, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese together.
- Finally, I topped each portion with the burrata cheese.
If you like pesto, you need to try this fresh and light Rotini with Pesto and Burrata.
Rotini with Pesto and Burrata
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 6 quarts water
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 3 tbsp. Diamond kosher salt
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
For the Pesto:
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 cups basil leaves
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. crushed garlic
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. pasta water
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. sea salt flakes
For the Garnishes:
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup basil leaves
- 4 balls burrata cheese
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the rotini: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the kosher salt and the rotini.
- While the rotini cooks, make the Basil Pesto: Heat a small skillet on low heat, and cook the pine nuts (both for the pesto and the garnishes) until toasted about five minutes.
- Put half the pine nuts in a food processor, and process until finely chopped. Save the rest of the pine nuts for the garnishes. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the pasta water, and process until everything is minced and combined. Add the pasta water, and process until a creamy sauce is formed.
- Drain the rotini and pour it into a large bowl. Add the pesto and stir until combined. Also add in the tomatoes, arugula, parmesan and the rest of the pine nuts. Garnish the dish with the basil leaves and the burrata.
