Pappardelle with green beans, cherry tomatoes and parsley pesto. This quick sauce comes together while the pasta cooks. Fresh, bright and full of flavour — ideal for busy weeknights.
Pasta.Is.Life.
If you came for a simple, satisfying pasta dish, you’re in the right place. This pappardelle with green beans, burst cherry tomatoes and parsley pesto is so good I made it twice in one week.
The recipe pairs the vibrant parsley pesto with sweet cherry tomatoes and crisp green beans. The ingredients come together quickly to make a sauce that clings to the pasta, delivering fresh, concentrated flavour with minimal fuss.
How To Make Pasta With Green Beans, Tomatoes & Pesto
Pick ripe cherry or grape tomatoes and halve them. Sauté the tomatoes with trimmed green beans, a pinch of chilli flakes, salt and pepper on medium heat until the tomatoes begin to break down and form a sauce.
Fresh pappardelle works beautifully here, but any long pasta — fresh or dried — will do. Cook the pasta until al dente, then transfer it directly from the pot to the pan with the tomatoes using tongs so some starchy cooking water comes with it. Toss with the tomato-green bean mixture, add the parsley pesto, toss again and serve.
Tips For Making This Pasta With Green Beans, Tomatoes & Pesto
- Lift the pasta from the water with tongs instead of fully draining. A little starchy water helps emulsify and bind the sauce. If you prefer to drain, reserve 1–2 tbsp of pasta water and add it to the sauce as needed.
- Cook tomatoes on medium heat. Too high a heat will make them caramelise and become sticky instead of saucy.
- Trim green beans and cut them in half for better bite-sized pieces.
- Make the pesto ahead of time — it keeps well in the fridge for a day or two and speeds up dinner prep.
Other Quick Pasta Recipes You Might Like;
- Pasta with puttanesca sauce
- Mushroom and spinach pasta
- Pasta Amatriciana — bucatini with tomato and guanciale
- Smoked salmon pasta carbonara
If you try this pasta with green beans or any recipe from the blog, let me know how it turned out in the comments — I love hearing from readers!
Step By Step Photos Above
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Pasta with Green Beans, Tomatoes and Pesto
By Emily
Ingredients
- 15 oz (450g) fresh pappardelle pasta
- 1 batch parsley pesto
- 9.5 oz (200g) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 3.5 oz (100g) green beans, trimmed and cut in half
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- While the water heats, make the sauce: add cherry tomatoes, green beans, chilli flakes, salt and pepper to a large pan with olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes soften and begin to form a sauce.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package (fresh pasta usually takes about 3 minutes). When the pasta is cooked, transfer it with tongs directly into the pan with the tomatoes and toss to coat.
- Stir in the pesto and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Lifting the pasta with tongs instead of draining retains starchy water that helps bind the sauce. If you drain, reserve 1–2 tbsp pasta water and add it as needed.
- Keep tomatoes on medium heat so they become saucy rather than sticky.
- Make the pesto in advance — it stores well in the fridge and speeds up assembly.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used in recipes unless otherwise noted.
- Vegetable sizes are assumed to be medium unless specified.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 82 g |
Protein: 16 g |
Fat: 8 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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