Pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes, garlic breadcrumbs and a chili oil drizzle is what I make when I want pesto to be a little more than pesto. My kids are obsessed with it, so it's in the rotation constantly, and every so often I want a version pointed at the adults. The tomatoes go soft and jammy in the oven, the breadcrumbs add crunch, and the chili oil lets everyone set their own heat. Fifteen minutes of actual work - the oven and the pasta pot handle the rest.
This is a jar of good pesto and a sheet pan of blistered tomatoes doing most of the work. I make my own basil walnut pesto for it, but store-bought is fine if that's where you are tonight. If pasta night is a regular thing in your house, this sits right alongside my Chicken Marsala Pasta and Blackened Shrimp Pasta.
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Ingredients for Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes
Four simple components come together here - roasted tomatoes, chili oil, garlic breadcrumbs, and the pesto pasta itself. Here's what you need for each.
Roasted Tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Chili Oil
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
Garlic Breadcrumbs
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Olive oil
Pesto Pasta
- W&W pesto
- Pasta
For Serving
- Grated parmesan
See recipe card for quantities.
Why You'll Love This Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes
Pesto pasta with a few more things going on in the bowl.
- Under 40 minutes. The tomatoes roast while the breadcrumbs toast and the pasta cooks. Everything overlaps.
- Texture in every bite. Silky pesto, jammy roasted tomatoes, crunchy garlic breadcrumbs.
- The heat is optional. Chili oil goes on per bowl, so everyone sets their own.
- Simple enough for a Tuesday. It looks like more effort than it took.
How to Make Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes
Most of this happens at the same time. Here's the order:
Roast the Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan, then roast for 20-25 minutes, until blistered and soft.
Infuse the Chili Oil
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat for 3-5 minutes to infuse. Set aside to cool.
Toast the Garlic Breadcrumbs
In a skillet, toast the breadcrumbs and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Cook the Pasta & Toss with Pesto
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain. Toss the pasta with pesto, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen. Fold in the roasted tomatoes.
Top and Serve
Top with the garlic breadcrumbs, a drizzle of chili oil, and grated parmesan.
Substitutions
A few swaps that won't wreck the dish if that's what tonight calls for.
- Store-bought pesto → skip the homemade route entirely if you're short on time. A good jarred pesto still gets you there.
- Gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs → both swap in 1:1. Just watch the pasta's cook time, since gluten-free noodles go from al dente to mush fast.
- Panko instead of regular breadcrumbs → panko toasts up even crunchier if that's the texture you're after.
Variations to Try
Once you've made the base version, here's how I change it up.
- Add torn burrata on top right before serving for a creamy, melty finish.
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp to turn this into a heartier one-bowl dinner.
- Swap the chili oil for calabrian chili paste stirred right into the pesto if you want the heat built in instead of drizzled on top.
Equipment
Nothing fancy required here - just a few pieces that make the process easier, plus a note on the ingredients worth spending a little more on.
- USA Pan Half Sheet Pan (Premium) - Heavy-gauge aluminized steel that won't warp, so the tomatoes roast evenly instead of steaming in a puddle.
- Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet Pan (Budget) - Non-toxic, uncoated aluminum, and it's the pan I reach for most weeknights.
- All-Clad Stainless Steel Skillet (Premium) - Even heat means the breadcrumbs toast golden instead of burning in spots.
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet (Budget) - Non-toxic, practically indestructible, and it gets breadcrumbs just as crisp.
- Le Creuset Saucepan (Premium) - Small and heavy-bottomed, so the chili oil infuses gently without scorching the flakes.
- Cuisinart Chef's Classic Saucepan (Budget) - Does the same job for a fraction of the price.
- All-Clad Stockpot (Premium) - Room for pasta to move around freely, which is half the battle for even cooking.
- Cuisinart Stockpot (Budget) - Gets the job done without the splurge.
- A word on the pasta and cheese: for a dish this simple, the ingredients are doing all the talking, so I reach for imported, bronze-cut pasta like Garofalo or Rummo - the rough texture holds onto the pesto instead of letting it slide off - and real Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, grated fresh, not the shelf-stable stuff in a green can.
Storage
Here's how to keep leftovers tasting like day one.
Store cooled pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water or olive oil over medium-low heat to loosen the pesto back up - the microwave works too, just cover it so it doesn't dry out. If you're meal-prepping, keep the chili oil and extra breadcrumbs separate and add them right before serving so the breadcrumbs stay crunchy instead of going soft in the fridge.
Top Tip
Reserve the pasta water before you drain. It loosens the pesto without watering down the flavor. And don't rush the chili oil - those 3 to 5 minutes over low heat are what pull the color and the heat out of the pepper flakes. Skip it and you have olive oil with flakes floating in it.
FAQ
Here's what people ask me most about this one.
Absolutely - a good jarred pesto works fine here. Look for one with real basil and olive oil near the top of the ingredient list, not seed oil as the base.
Roast the tomatoes, make the chili oil, and toast the breadcrumbs up to 2 days ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Cook the pasta and toss everything together right before serving.
A spoonful of calabrian chili paste or even a pinch of plain red pepper flakes stirred into the pesto gets you close, though you'll lose that glossy drizzle on top.
That usually means the pan wasn't hot enough or they sat too long before serving. Toast them over medium heat until deep golden, and add them to the pasta right at the end so they stay crunchy.
More from Whisk & Wine
If this hit the spot, here are a few more recipes I think you'll love.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Craving another bowl of pasta? Start here.
Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes & Garlic Breadcrumbs
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Pesto pasta gets a glow-up with roasted cherry tomatoes, crunchy garlic breadcrumbs, and a spicy chili oil drizzle. Easy enough for a weeknight, good enough to serve to company.
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes:
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Chili Oil:
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- ½ cup olive oil
Garlic Breadcrumbs:
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Pesto Pasta:
- 1 cup W&W pesto
- 1 lb pasta
For Serving:
- Grated parmesan
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until blistered and soft.
- Warm the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat for 3-5 minutes to infuse. Set aside to cool.
- In a skillet, toast the breadcrumbs and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the pasta with pesto, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen. Fold in the roasted tomatoes.
- Top with the garlic breadcrumbs, a drizzle of chili oil, and grated parmesan.
Notes
Substitutions: Store-bought pesto works fine if you're short on time. Swap in gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs 1:1. Panko can replace regular breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
Variations: Add torn burrata before serving, or add grilled chicken or shrimp for a heartier dinner. Swap the chili oil for calabrian chili paste stirred into the pesto.
Equipment: A sheet pan, a skillet, a small saucepan, and a large pasta pot. Use imported, bronze-cut pasta (like Garofalo or Rummo) and real Parmigiano Reggiano DOP for the best flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
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