This green pesto pasta is a classic Italian dish made with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, and golden herbed breadcrumbs, combining fresh Mediterranean flavours with a comforting café-style touch.
About Pesto Pasta
Origins
Pasta with pesto is a classic from Liguria in northern Italy, where pesto alla Genovese is often served with trofie – short twisted pasta – or trenette, a flat noodle similar to linguine. This vibrant green sauce blends fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, and olive oil into a rich, aromatic paste. While it was born in Genoa, pesto has travelled far beyond Liguria, finding its way into kitchens all over Italy and the world.
This recipe
This pasta dish is my recreation of the pesto pasta I used to get from Gran Sasso – a small Italian café near my old workplace on Caledonian Road in Central London.
It was one of their regular ready-made dishes, served from a chilled display and microwaved to order, packed with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and cubes of mozzarella cheese that melted through the pasta when heated.
My version stays true to the original, but with a few small touches: I lightly fry the sun-dried tomatoes and toast the breadcrumbs with herbs for extra flavour and crunch. Frying the sun-dried tomatoes softens them, releases their oils, and makes their flavour richer and less sharp, which blends beautifully with the pesto. It’s still the same comforting dish I remember, just taken up a notch.
Ingredients for Gourmet Pesto Pasta
- pasta – At the café, they used to make this dish with penne, but of course, any pasta works, like fusilli or rigatoni.
- pesto – Use classic green pesto.
- sun-dried tomatoes – Use the kind packed in oil for the best flavour and texture. Chop them into small pieces so they blend evenly into the pasta.
- cheese – Use regular mozzarella for mixing into the pasta (either cubed or grated so it melts easily). Also get buffalo mozzarella (mozzarella di bufala) for the topping — it’s creamier and adds a richer flavour.
- olives – Traditionally made with whole pitted black olives, but you can use green, stuffed, or any variety you like. If they’re large, halve or slice them.
- olive oil – Use good-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour, both for cooking the sun-dried tomatoes and for drizzling over the finished dish.
- breadcrumbs – Use plain dry breadcrumbs, not panko, to keep it authentic to the Italian café style of the original dish.
- herbs – Fresh basil and parsley.
For exact quantities, see the recipe card below.
Love Italian classics? Try my Simple Minestrone Soup!
How to make super quick Pesto Pasta at home
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water. Adding a little olive oil to the water can help stop it from sticking. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
- Mix green pesto with pasta: Spoon a jar of green pesto into the hot pasta while it’s still in the pot and stir it through. This helps it coat everything nicely. Add a splash of olive oil to loosen it a little.
- Fry sun-dried tomatoes with parsley and breadcrumbs: In a pan, gently fry the chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a little olive oil. This softens them, brings out their flavour, and tones down the sharpness. Add the breadcrumbs and chopped parsley, and fry for a few minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Combine and melt cheese: Stir the breadcrumb and sun-dried tomato mixture into the pasta, then mix in the cheese so the heat melts it slightly.
- Add olives: Scatter over pasta some pitted black olives, or swap for green or stuffed if that’s more your style. If they’re large, cut them in half or slice them for presentation.
- Finish and serve: Tear over some buffalo mozzarella, scatter on a few fresh basil leaves, and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve straight away.
Serving Ideas for Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Serve with any pasta shape you like. I often make it with spaghetti for a different texture. You can also swap the black olives for green olives stuffed with peppers — cut them in half so the filling shows for extra colour on the plate.
Recipe Card
Green Pesto Pasta With Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives
Ingredients
- 250-300 g pasta - penne, fusilli, or rigatoni
- 190 g green pesto jar
- 100 g sun-dried tomatoes in oil - drained and chopped
- 100 g regular mozzarella - cubed or grated
- 125 g buffalo mozzarella - torn (for topping)
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives - or green/stuffed, whole or halved
- 2 tbsp plain dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - for frying + extra for drizzle
- a few fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Add a jar of pesto to the hot pasta. You can add a splash of olive oil so it coats evenly and prevents it from sticking.
- In a pan, fry chopped sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil for 1–2 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and parsley, cooking until golden and fragrant.
- Add the tomato-breadcrumb mixture to the pasta, then stir in small cubes of cheese until slightly melted.
- Finish with olives, torn buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The total calorie content of the dish is approximately 2,150 calories. This is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific products and brands used. The dish serves 3 people (medium portions), which works out to around 716 calories per person.
- The amount of olive oil can vary depending on whether you choose to drizzle some over the finished pasta or toss the pasta with oil after cooking to prevent it from sticking. Both steps are optional, and the final calorie count will change depending on how much, if any, extra oil is added.