💡 Quick Take
- •The Dish: Vegetarian linguine tossed with red pesto, sweet cherry tomatoes, and melty mozzarella pearls.
- •Total Time: A super fast weeknight dinner that’s ready to serve in about 20 minutes flat.
- •Method: Boil the pasta on the stovetop while your Thermomix® gently warms up the rich, creamy sauce.
Craving a fast, insanely delicious pasta dinner? These Linguine with Pesto Rosso and Mozzarella are calling your name!
In just 20 minutes, you can whip up a creamy, flavor-packed dish that the whole family will devour.
I’ll walk you through how to pull together these easy Linguine with Pesto Rosso and Mozzarella in your Thermomix® in just a few simple steps!
Why You’ll Love This Quick Pasta Recipe:
- This Red Pesto Linguine with Mozzarella comes together in just 20 minutes—a total weeknight win!
- It’s the ultimate go-to meal when you want something ridiculously delicious on the table fast.
- The luscious sauce made with red pesto, sweet tomatoes, and melty mozzarella is so good, it’s guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family.
- It’s naturally vegetarian and super easy to customize for a vegan diet.
- This pasta is light enough for breezy summer dinners, yet cozy enough to crave all winter long.
My Best Tips for the Perfect Pasta:
Use high-quality, fresh ingredients for the absolute best flavor.
Toast your pine nuts before making the sauce—it brings out a rich, nutty flavor that is totally worth the extra minute!
Opt for mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini) so they get delightfully melty in the warm sauce.
Don’t forget to save a splash of starchy pasta water! Stirring it into the sauce creates the dreamiest, creamiest texture.
Taste as you go and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper right before serving.
Garnish your linguine with plenty of fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Want a little kick? Toss a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce for a subtle heat!
If you want to turn this into a cheesy pasta bake, just toss the cooked linguine and sauce together in a baking dish and top with extra mozzarella. Bake at 350°F (convection) for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
This recipe is super versatile and makes a great base you can totally customize. Feel free to experiment with your favorite veggies, different cheeses, and herbs to create your own signature twist!
Can You Make This Ahead of Time?
You can easily whip up the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge.
For the best texture, though, wait to boil the pasta until right before you’re ready to serve.
Got leftovers? This dish freezes surprisingly well!
Just thaw it in the fridge before serving, then reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
Fun Variations
Bulk it up by tossing extra veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms into the sauce.
Stir in a splash of heavy cream for a rich, silky-smooth sauce.
Swap the mozzarella for tangy feta or creamy goat cheese if you want to mix up the flavors.
Top your red pesto linguine with pan-seared shrimp or salmon for an easy protein boost.
What to Serve with Red Pesto Linguine
- Grilled or roasted veggies
- A crisp green side salad
- Classic bruschetta
- Warm, buttery garlic bread
Recipe FAQs
Ingredients for Linguine with Pesto Rosso and Mozzarella
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) pine nuts
- 200 g (approx. 7 oz) Pesto Rosso (store-bought or homemade)
- 150 g (approx. 5.5 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 125 g (approx. 4.5 oz) mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- 1 ladle reserved pasta water
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
You’ll also need:
- 350 g (approx. 12.5 oz) linguine
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Ingredients for Homemade Pesto Rosso (optional, if making from scratch):
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) pine nuts
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Parmesan cheese, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes without oil (drained weight: 200 g (approx. 7 oz) / ~7 oz)
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- 100 g (approx. 3.5 oz) olive oil
How to Make Linguine with Pesto Rosso and Mozzarella
To Make the Pesto Rosso (Optional):
Drain the jarred sun-dried tomatoes, peel and halve the garlic, cut the Parmesan into chunks, and pick the fresh basil leaves.
Next, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until golden and fragrant.
Pro Tip: You’ll need more toasted pine nuts for garnish later in the recipe, so go ahead and toast those now too! Just set them aside until you’re ready to serve.
Add all of the pesto ingredients to the mixing bowl and blend for 5 sec / Speed 8.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then blend for another 5 sec / Speed 8. And that’s it—your pesto is ready!
This makes about 14 oz (400 g (approx. 14 oz)) of pesto. You’ll only need half of it for this pasta dish.
Store the remaining pesto in an airtight container in the fridge, topped with a thin layer of olive oil. It’ll stay fresh for about a week!
Instructions:
Cook the linguine (or your favorite pasta shape) in a large pot of generously salted water according to the package directions.
While the pasta is boiling, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden brown and fragrant.
Add the toasted pine nuts and red pesto to the mixing bowl and warm for 3 min / 100°C (210°F) / Reverse / Speed 1.
Slice the cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls in half. Add them to the mixing bowl along with a ladle of starchy pasta water (about ¼ cup / 70 g (approx. 2.5 oz)) and mix for 2 min / 90°C (190°F) / Reverse / Speed 1, until the mozzarella starts to get warm and melty.
Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Drain the cooked pasta, divide it among serving bowls, and spoon the warm sauce over top.
Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Please note that the stated prep and cooking times are estimates.
I hope you love making this easy weeknight dinner!
If you enjoyed this quick Linguine with Red Pesto and Mozzarella, you’ll definitely want to try my recipe for Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto! 🙂
Happy cooking,
Christoph
P.S. Don’t want to miss a recipe? Be sure to follow along on Pinterest or Instagram ❣
Did you try this recipe?
If you loved it, please leave me a comment below and rate the recipe 5 stars! 🙂
Linguine with Pesto Rosso and Mozzarella
Click the stars to leave a rating & comment
Start cookingIngredients
Ingredients:
- 50 g Pine nuts (approx. 2 oz)
- 200 g Pesto Rosso store-bought or homemade (approx. 7 oz)
- 150 g Cherry tomatoes halved (approx. 5.5 oz)
- 125 g Mini mozzarella balls (approx. 4.5 oz)
- 1 Ladle of starchy pasta water
- 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
For serving:
- 350 g Linguine (approx. 12.5 oz)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Ingredients for homemade Pesto Rosso (optional):
- 50 g Pine nuts (approx. 2 oz)
- 50 g Parmesan cheese cut into chunks (approx. 2 oz)
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Jar of sun-dried tomatoes (without oil) drained weight 200 g (approx. 7 oz)
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- 100 g Olive oil (approx. 3.5 oz)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
To Make the Pesto Rosso:
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Parmesan cheese, 2 Garlic cloves, 1 Jar of sun-dried tomatoes (without oil), Handful of fresh basil leavesDrain the sun-dried tomatoes, peel and halve the garlic cloves, cut the Parmesan into chunks, and pluck the fresh basil leaves.
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Pine nuts, 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Pine nutsNext, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until golden and fragrant.
- Add all pesto ingredients to the mixing bowl and chop for 5 sec / speed 8.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and blend for another 5 sec / speed 8. And just like that, your quick homemade pesto is done!
- 100 g (approx. 3.5 oz) Olive oilYields about 400 g (approx. 14 oz). You'll use half of it for this pasta dish. Store the rest in an airtight container in the fridge, topped with a thin layer of olive oil—it'll stay fresh for up to 1 week!
To Make the Pasta:
- Salt, 350 g (approx. 12.5 oz) LinguineCook the linguine (or your favorite pasta shape) in a large pot of generously salted water according to the package directions.
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Pine nuts, 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Pine nutsWhile the pasta cooks, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown.
- 50 g (approx. 2 oz) Pine nuts, 200 g (approx. 7 oz) Pesto RossoAdd the toasted pine nuts and Pesto Rosso to the mixing bowl and heat for 3 min / 100°C (210°F) / reverse blade / speed 1.
- 150 g (approx. 5.5 oz) Cherry tomatoes, 125 g (approx. 4.5 oz) Mini mozzarella balls, 1 Ladle of starchy pasta waterNext, halve the cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls. Add them to the bowl along with a ladle of starchy pasta water (about 70 g (approx. 2.5 oz)) and mix for 2 min / 90°C (190°F) / reverse blade / speed 1, until the mozzarella gets gooey and wonderfully melty.
- 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper, Salt, Salt and pepperTaste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Drain the cooked pasta, divide among bowls, and spoon that dreamy sauce right over top.
- Grated Parmesan cheese, Fresh basil leavesGarnish with fresh basil leaves and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe yields about 3 servings, but you can easily double it if you're feeding a hungry crowd!
- Pro-Tip: Clean your mixing bowl right after cooking so the melted mozzarella doesn't stick and dry out. Warm water and dish soap are usually all you need. For stubborn residue (or any lingering garlic aroma), a splash of lemon juice or vinegar works wonders. Just soak the mixing bowl in water with lemon juice or vinegar, then wash as usual.
