This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This delicious pesto burrata pasta is the ultimate summer pasta recipe. It combines creamy burrata with a high-magnesium spinach pesto for a fresh, flavorful dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes. Great for weeknights, but elegant enough for entertaining.
A Quick Look: Burrata Pasta with Pesto
- Prep time: 15 minutes to prep the spinach basil pesto and about 15 minutes to cook the pasta and put everything together – a 30 minute meal.
- Servings: Makes 4 servings.
- Main ingredients: Pesto (can either purchase this store-bought or use the included recipe), zucchini, burrata, and cavatappi pasta.
- When to serve: When you want a flavorful summer pasta that’s easy enough for weeknights but elegant enough for guests.
- Dietary information: The basil pesto is packed with minerals like magnesium and potassium. This recipe fits a Mediterranean diet, and can be made gluten free. It is HYH diet compliant if you omit the lemon juice. This is also a great nut-free pesto pasta.
- Why you’ll love it: This burrata pasta is light yet flavorful, and packed with the best of summer produce. You can make it in 15 minutes with store-bought pesto, or pack it with nutrients using the magnesium-rich homemade pesto with spinach, pumpkin seeds, and basil.
For another pasta rich in electrolytes, you’ll love this creamy spinach pasta. Or try my Boursin pasta and mascarpone pasta next for other simple pasta recipes where the cheese is the star!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Burrata – BelGiosio makes a great burrata, but Trader Joe’s and Costco also have less expensive options. If you prefer the creamy burrata filling, you can purchase that at Trader Joe’s. Although burrata and mozzarella may look similar on the outside, burrata has a creamy inside that works best for this pasta.
- Pasta – I used cavatappi which has a corkscrew shape and the small ridges allow the pesto sauce to cling to the pasta well. You can use any pasta you like, although I recommend one that has the ridges so the pesto can fully coat the pasta. Rotini or fusilli would make a great substitute.
- Pesto – To boost the minerals in this recipe, I used a combination of spinach, basil, unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), garlic, and olive oil. I prefer to use a pesto without parmesan so the burrata really shines. Lemon juice adds some acidity and brightness, but is optional.
- Zucchini – Not only perfect for a summer pasta, but adds in some extra nutrients.
- Honey – This is optional, but a touch of sweetness added to the pesto balances some bitterness you might find in the pesto. This can happen with older basil, or if you over-process the oil. I’ll give you some tips to try to avoid this.
Variations
- 15 minute burrata pasta – Use a store-bought pesto like Le Grand instead of making the homemade pesto.
- Gluten free – Use a gluten free pasta like Jovial.
- HYH diet – Omit the lemon juice, or add a splash of white vinegar for some acidity.
- Pesto variation – Use my sunflower seed pesto recipe instead.
How to Make Burrata Pasta
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. For the last 3 minutes, add the zucchini into the pot to quickly cook.
Step 2: Drain the pasta and zucchini, reserving 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
Step 3: While the pasta cooks, make the pesto by combining the spinach, basil, pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice if using, salt, and pepper, to a blender or food processor. Process in short bursts until well-combined. I recommend an immersion blender over a large blender to avoid over-blending the olive oil, which can turn the flavor bitter. Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding honey if needed.
Step 4: Pour the pesto over the cooked pasta and zucchini, tossing it with 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water to thin the sauce. You can always add more if needed.
Step 5: Divide the pasta into bowls, and tear the burrata in half to top each bowl with a burrata piece. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired, and serve immediately.
Recipe Tip
Most recipes don’t tell you this, but you can turn pesto bitter by over-blending the basil and olive oil. This creates a lot of heat and oxidation, which the ingredients are sensitive to use. This is why it’s best to use a food processor, where the pesto can be blended in short bursts, or use an immersion blender and a tall jar. If using a regular blender, be cautious to not let the mixture run a long time on high.
Storage Information
- Refrigerator – Pesto burrata pasta can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer – Although the pasta can be frozen and reheated, it’s best to leave the burrata separately and just add fresh burrata when you reheat the pasta.
It’s important to note that when you freeze basil, it can discolor. The flavor will still be good, even if it doesn’t look as appealing. The olive oil should help to preserve the color better!
Serving Suggestions
- This pesto pasta with burrata makes a great vegetarian meal with garlic bread and a simple side salad like this bibb lettuce salad. I prefer the variation of using bibb lettuce here, versus a spinach or arugula salad which would be very similar to the flavors in the pesto.
- Protein – You can use Brami protein pasta, or add sliced grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken. It would also pair well as a side next to an air fryer flank steak or baked chicken kabobs.
- Leftover pesto? Use it for drizzling on top of baked beef kabobs, in this tuna pesto pasta, or in this slow cooker pesto chicken.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Pasta
Easy Cream Cheese Pasta
Pasta
10 Minute Garlic Butter Pasta
Pasta
Easy Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Pasta
Boursin Orzo Bake
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Pesto Burrata Pasta
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 12 ounces pasta, cavatappi recommended
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 2 large balls burrata cheese, to be halved or shared
- Optional: lemon zest and olive oil for drizzling
For the Pesto:
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 2 small cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice*, from about 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. 3 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the zucchini and cook until tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and zucchini and return them to the pot.
- While the pasta cooks, make the pesto. To a food processor, tall glass for an immersion blender, or blender, add the spinach, basil, pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice if using, salt, pepper, and honey if using. Process in short bursts, blending until just smooth. Do not over-blend to avoid bitterness. Taste and season with more salt, if desired.
- Pour the pesto over the cooked pasta and zucchini and toss until well combined. Add 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water, if needed, to thin the sauce.
- Divide the pasta into four shallow bowls. Tear the burrata balls in half and place one half, creamy-side up, in the center of each bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.
Notes
- Brami or chickpea pasta can be used for added protein.
- Basil and extra virgin olive oil can become bitter if over-processed/blended so be cautious when blending. This is easier to avoid with a food processor or immersion blender. If you do get some bitterness (can also happen with older basil), add a touch of honey for balance.
- Pasta – Cavatappi or fusilli, or any short pasta with ridges are great for this recipe. A smooth, long pasta like fettuccine would make it harder for the sauce to coat.
- Burrata – BelGiosio is recommended, and can be found at Costco for a discount.
- Storage – Stores great in the fridge for up to 3 days (save a little pasta water to thin the sauce, if needed), or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, it’s best to add fresh burrata later when reheating.
- HYH diet (*) – Omit the lemon completely, or use 1 tablespoon white vinegar for some acidity.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
