Pesto Squash Noodles and Spaghetti with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Homemade pesto tossed with squash noodles and spaghetti, topped with burst cherry tomatoes. This vegetarian recipe is easily made vegan and/or gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Not long ago, while Cookie and I were out walking, I watched an older lady cross paths with another woman and her dog. I realized that the women were strangers. Dogs have a way of bringing people together, you know? As we walked up, my gray-haired neighbor was asking permission to pet the big, slobbery mastiff. Then came the usual, “What kind of dog is that?” question.
Three single women, two dogs, one neighborhood intersection on a warm summer evening. We all started swapping laughs and sighs about our pups’ peculiarities as Cookie wiggle-waggled over to the older lady. She fawned over Cookie and admitted that she recently lost her 15-year-old collie. We expressed our condolences. The other woman mentioned her current mastiff’s beloved predecessor and suggested, “Why don’t you get another?” The older lady confessed that it was too much, too hard to lose an ever-present companion, that it’s just the worst. My heart broke for her. I get it. Maybe you get it, too. It is terrifying to love another being so much.
Cookie hopped the fence on Wednesday afternoon. I let her come outside with me while I was talking to my friend on the phone. I watched in horror as she made one impressive, graceful, vertical leap over the chain-link fence to pursue a bunny.
Ten, fifteen, I don’t know how many minutes passed while I was frantically shrieking her name out the car windows and flagging down neighbors. Finally, my phone rang. Cookie was safe at the bank, of all places. Whether for safety or cash for the road, Cookie had run inside the bank. Her new friends were feeding her treats in the conference room when I got there.
I worry about this little rascal’s safety all day, every day. We can’t have another accident. I think we need to move back to an apartment with double doors, either now or when my lease is up. Ironically, I lied about having a back yard when I adopted Cookie. I’m not proud of it. I wanted Cookie and I knew I could take good care of her. Anyway, they were wrong about the backyard requirement. She’s definitely better off in a safe, secure space and long, daily walks. I’m sad to say that she’ll be exploring the backyard on a retractible leash from now on.
I don’t have a good transition here, from dogs to pasta, other than an apology for being a downer today. I threw together this dish for lunch last week with leftover arugula pesto from my pizza. It’s very similar to last summer’s cilantro-pepita pesto pasta concept, but I topped it with delicious burst cherry tomatoes. I can’t claim that it’s a totally original recipe—Beth and Sarah have beautiful, similar zucchini noodle recipes—but are any recipes truly original at this point? Tomatoes and pesto were made for each other!
I’m a pesto-loving arugula fiend, but if you take away anything from my pesto recipes, I hope it’s that it’s impossible to go wrong with pesto. Kale pecan pesto, cilantro hemp pesto, traditional basil… almost any blend of herbs or greens and nuts or seeds is guaranteed to delight. Top it off with quick-cooked cherry tomatoes for a filling summer dinner.
Pesto Squash Noodles and Spaghetti with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Homemade pesto tossed with raw squash noodles and spaghetti, topped with burst cherry tomatoes. This vegetarian recipe is easily made vegan and/or gluten free (see recipe notes). This recipe is saucy—you could stretch it to accommodate ½ pound spaghetti or an extra zucchini, if you’d like. Recipe yields 4 servings, which would be great served with big green salads!
Ingredients
Pesto
- 2 cups packed fresh arugula and/or basil (about 3 ounces), tough stems removed
- ½ cup sliced shelled pecans
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Squash noodles and spaghetti
- 1 medium zucchini, julienne
- 1 medium yellow squash, julienne
- ⅓ pound (a little over 5 ounces) whole grain spaghetti or linguine
Burst tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or ¾ pound small tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- Pinch of fine salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cut off the tough ends of the squash and remove any discolored skin with a paring knife. Use a julienne peeler (or regular peeler) to slice the squash lengthwise, one side at a time. Stop once you get to the seeded part, then turn the squash to work on the next side.
- Toast the pecans: In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans, while stirring frequently, until they’re nice and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a bowl to cool.
- To make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the arugula/basil, cooled pecans, Parmesan, garlic and salt. Pulse while drizzling in the olive oil. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
- Once the water is boiling, cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot.
- Cook the tomatoes: First, slice about 5 of the tomatoes into thin rounds and reserve them for later. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil and red pepper flakes (if using). Once the oil is shimmering, add the whole cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Let the tomatoes cook, stirring occasionally, until they are blistered in spots and starting to pop, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, lightly crushing the tomatoes with the back of a big spoon or silicone spatula, until they are beginning to break down, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sliced tomatoes.
- To assemble the pasta: Combine the pasta and squash noodles in a serving bowl. Add most of the pesto and a couple tablespoons pasta water. Toss to combine, adding more pesto or pasta water until the noodles are sufficiently coated in pesto. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, if desired. Divide the noodles into individual bowls and top with cherry tomatoes. I finished mine with a sprinkle of Parmesan and another twist of freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my arugula-almond pesto, cilantro-pepita pesto with squash ribbons and Bon Appetit’s linguine with burst tomatoes and chili peppers.
Make it vegan/dairy free: Omit the Parmesan altogether or add nutritional yeast, to taste, in its place.
Make it gluten free: Use your favorite gluten-free noodles or use only squash noodles (you would need about 5 to 6 squash in total).
Make it nut free: Substitute pepitas for the pecans or omit the nuts altogether for an herby olive oil sauce.
Storage suggestions: Pesto is best consumed immediately after making. It oxidizes with air exposure, so store it separately from other components, with plastic wrap pressed against the top.
Change it up: Use any pesto you like, whether homemade or store-bought. During cooler months, non-starchy roasted vegetables would be a great substitute for the tomatoes.
Recommended equipment: I love my Kuhn Rikon julienne peeler.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
P.s. The site seems to be struggling to stay live today, but I’m working on it. Please be patient!
I’m so glad Cookie is ok, you’ve had a couple scares recently! Whatever you decide to do, she is one of the cutest dogs I’ve ever seen, so that counts for something : )
Oh no, Cookie! Those moments must have been horrible for you, Kate! Thanks God she was safe after all. [In a bank?? Clever girl.]
On another note, this pasta dish looks fabulous. Pesto galore!
Hope you have a more relaxing weekend,
Sini
Oh wow, that looks absolutely delicious!! I could tuck into a bowl right now… and I just had lunch!
Oh my goodness, so glad you found Cookie (though the bank is a surprise!). Love this summery pasta, just what I’m craving for lunch!
Oh god, I worry about my dog all day, every day too, and often wish I could put her in some kind of protective bubble. I’m glad Cookie’s ok! What a little monkey. That pasta looks delicious, btw. I haven’t been able to get on board with all zucchini noodles, but it’s a good idea to mix some into regular pasta!
That is so scary – I’m so glad Cookie is okay! My husband and I have three dogs, and one, a 45 pound shepherd mix, jumps our six-foot privacy fence on the regular. Yes, a SIX FOOT fence. It’s always in pursuit of a squirrel, and she always comes right back, but it still is scary those few minutes she is gone.
Cookie’s legs are about 10 inches long and she leapt right over that 4-foot fence. Ugh! I wish she would come back to me when I called!
That’s the worst part!! You just feel so helpless!
Sigh, sorry about Cookie’s escape! Right in front of your eyes even. Glad she is safe. I can’t imagine how it will feel to lose our dog one day, whether it’s temporary, or due to old age.. We just love her too much!
The noodles look great, as always :) pesto always makes the day better.
So glad Cookie is safe. I love that she was at the bank, of all places! This recipes looks delicious. You can’t go wrong with tomatoes and pesto!
This is definitely my kind of meal! What a great addition with the zucchini. OMG, I have been there. Bob ran into a grocery store (we actually knew the owners so they weren’t mad), but it was terrifying when I couldn’t find him. He’s my baby, for real, just like Cookie I am sure! :) Glad the little one was safe and sound…in a bank. Haha, that’s so bizarre!
One time Cookie jumped out of my car and ran inside Wal-Mart! I chased her through the store and we had a mini showdown by the self check-out before she let me scoop her up.
So sorry you had to go through this (again), but so glad that Cookie is home safely. There is truly nothing worse – my Gigi slipped out of her harness recently and ran across a busy road to chase after another dog. I was shaking for hours after I caught her. So glad that Cookie is ok – thanks for sharing your stories (and amazing recipes – this looks delicious!)
Oh man, that’s so scary. I know the feeling. Cookie ran into the bank that faces the same street where she got into an accident earlier this year. I can’t stand thinking about it.
I understand the woman’s pain. Our family beagle passed away this week. It’s hard to get so attached to dogs, knowing they have a limited time here with us.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Trisha. I just hope I can take care of Cookie into old age.
Oh man, I am so sorry this is happening again. Hang in there!!
Such a gorgeous summer pasta!
I’m sure you have already considered this, but I HIGHLY recommend investing in an electric fence. My parents have two rescues, who are the least trained / domesticated dogs in the world, and they are completely safe in their yard on a busy road with the electric fence. The dogs are never allowed to walk off property, they’re put in a car and driven across the street to start their walks. It’s cumbersome, but they never test the boundary. Good luck!
I’m definitely considering it, Catherine. She wears a collar that keeps her away from the front door, but I would like some extra security around the perimeter of the yard, for sure. I’ve always wondered how owners take their dogs on walks when the fence is installed—now I finally get it!
These look sooo delicious! Such a fabulous vegetarian dish! I love pesto and roasted tomatos!
My sister’s dogs are exactly the same. She has a fenced backyard, but the perpetual puppy (not even a foot high) somehow managed to constantly hop the fence and gallivant about the neighborhood. It’s important for pups to have the ability to run and jump freely, but not at the risk of losing them or causing injury. Luckily adding another foot of fence well and truly prevented her escapades.
In regard to the recipe: I L-O-V-E burst cherry tomatoes. I’ve convinced I could eat them for dessert. Whether in a pan or in the oven, the sweetness is undeniable and acceptable for every dish, in my opinion.
I really wish I could secure my yard better. In the meantime, she’s wearing her harness and getting hooked up to the line in the backyard. I almost forgot earlier today—she saw bunnies when I opened the door and almost bolted. Fortunately, I’ve been making her sit and stay before I let her outside, so I had enough time to shut the door. Sheesh. Those bunnies. I’m glad you’re on the burst cherry tomato bandwagon. I just can’t stop!
It is very frighting when a pet escapes. As a pet owner I always felt it was my job to protect this animal like a child. Love your recipe! Going to go to the garden, gather my ingredients and make it this evening.
I feel the same responsibility. I hope you enjoyed the pasta dish, Margie.
Kate, I recently discovered your blog and absolutely love it! I’m so excited to try this pesto with tomatoes – the colors look so beautiful together. And I’m sorry your cute Cookie gave you a scare, but I’m glad she’s ok!
Do you cook the zucchini and yellow squash?
No, the noodles are raw. I’m sorry for the confusion!
Ugh, losing track of a dog is the worst! Mine has slipped her harness a few times and gone “exploring”…luckily, she’s terrified of the highway near our house and usually runs for the river, where I find her contentedly sniffing away along the bank. It NEVER stops being terrifying, though.
I love the idea of combining “real” pasta and zucchini noodles! I always want to replace all the pasta with zoodles in a dish, but that generally leaves me totally unsatisfied. This seems like a good compromise :)
I really wish Cookie was afraid of the busy street nearby. Pasta noodles with zucchini noodles is totally the way to go!
this looks so so so good, thanks for sharing!
xo, cheyenne
YAY TO DOG PEOPLE!!
Ohh that feeling when the dog decides to go explore alone ;)
My dog Trixi will always find a little hole in every garden fence – followed by me running through the neighborhood, ringing doors and asking: “My dog might be in your garden… Could I have a look?”
Once she ran away from a friend of my mother who was walking with her by the river in the dark and simply went home to me (there are several big streets along the way… Thinking back makes me shudder).
This recipe sounds like one of those perfect weekday meals.
I’ll try it next week :)
It’s so scary! We live far too close to a busy street for my liking. :(
This looks amazing! I feel like I need to go and make this right now :)
So happy that Cookie is OK! I love that he headed to a bank :)
This looks like the perfect summer pasta!
YUM! Those tomatoes just POP right out, what a delicious looking meal (and tasting I’m sure).
Adorable puppy, by the way! Thanks for sharing! I’ll have to make this asap! :)
This looks delicious, thanks! This post makes me miss my puppy! I just moved and she won’t be here for another 10 days :(
I have loved your website for a long time and have enjoyed many of your recipes. My dog is a runner too and I have had many near heart failures over the past 13 years. I am always grateful to the kindness of strangers for catching him and calling me as he has no concept of the danger he is in, especially now that we live in the City near very busy streets. I completely understand your fear.
Why do our dogs scare us so, Lynda? Cookie is just the same way. I was so glad she ran inside the bank instead of crossing the busy street. I’d do anything to make sure she never escapes again.
Oh my goodness!! My heart totally stopped reading this. Thank goodness Cookie is ok! I can only imagine how scary that must have been. On another note, this meal looks lovely! Definitely need to use my julienne peeler more!
This veggie-laden pasta looks amazing and I’m so glad Cookie was okay! LOVE Marie Forleo. That was a really helpful Q & A for me as well. :)
What a fabulous recipe – lovely flavors and I’ve plenty of tomatoes in the garden. I can relate to Cookie!! I have a little Jack Russell who LOVES to run!
Mary
Cookie acts like a Jack Russell! One time, we clocked her at 25 mpg.
MPH (miles per hour)? or MPG (miles per gallon)? ;) Regardless, scary situation when dogs take off on their own.
This recipe looks like the perfect kind of ‘comfort food’ .
OMG this looks super good. Definitely rate 5 stars for this recipe. Thanks for sharing!!!
It sounds like Cookie has a homing instinct for nice people, at least.
Made this dish for dinner last night, breaking in my new julienne peeler. Another great dish making use of what’s yummy at the farmer’s market now. The pasta helps give the squash some body–good addition.
She definitely does. Glad you enjoyed this dish, Anne. I really like combining squash noodles with regular noodles.
My friend Jess’s dog ran away last week too! They found her at some friendly neighbors’, drinking water and hanging out. So glad Cookie was fine. Phew.
I’m glad your friend’s dog is safe! I’m so lucky that Cookie runs to nice people. Yikes.
I like how you used pecans for your pesto. Pine nuts are great but not as common of an ingredient for most households. I did something similar and made toasted walnut and sun-dried tomato pesto recently. Your dog is so cute by the way!
So glad Cookie is ok!! On the other hand…the pasta looks delicious!
Oh Cookie! Giving you such a scare! I am terrified of something happening to our pup, too. And when my husband works nights, I NEED my dog as a companion/alarm sounder more than ever. He needs to stick around forever! We don’t have a yard and maybe that is for the best, for now. He ran away once when we were visiting friends and took off through a slit in the fence. Scary. I think Cookie will still enjoy the yard from a long leash, and you’ll have peace of mind! Your pasta looks lovely! A beautiful way to celebrate summer goodies :)
I’m glad you got your dog back safely after that incident, Sophie. Cookie runs like the wind, it’s terrifying.
This looks amazing! I love using my spiralizer to make zucchini noodles!
Every time you write about Cookie like that I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I worry that I’m too attached to my little dog! I can’t imagine life without her and it’s hard knowing they don’t have the same life span as us. I guess the only thing we can do is treasure every moment they are with us.
That’s how I try to look at it, too, Chris. I just really want to keep her safe so we can spend as much time together as possible.
I only realised this week that my dog is finally starting to show the signs of his age! He keeps falling asleep when he sits down and actually gets tired when I walk him now! It’s so sad watching our little dogs lifespans rush on ahead of us sometimes. These noodles look delicious at least :)
Aw, poor guy! That must be tough.
Ack! HOW SCARY! My mom’s dog would run away in a heartbeat if let out of our (highly fenced) yard…only because she doesn’t know any better and probably wouldn’t realize that she can’t find her way back. Thankfully Cookie is back and safe with you!
I would probably need all the comfort food after an experience like that. Starting with this big bowl o’ noodles!
I wish I could put up some crazy security fence! I’d feel a lot better. I felt like a giant puddle of cortisol after that fiasco.
Omg.. You got me extremely hungry just by reading this post and looking at these lovely pictures… Thank you, now I finally have something healthy and extraordinary delicious to cook for dinner tonight! Yuummm..
XO Thea
Oh, my. Having one’s dog run if is completely terrifying. My dog has done it a few times, and every time my heart sinks into my chest. Glad to hear Cookie was safe and sound and the bank!
This pasta looks like the perfect summer meal. It is what I crave most nights. The photo of the burst cherry tomatoes is beautiful! I will put my garden grown tomatoes to good use.
Thank you, Kristie. I hope both of our dogs stay safe! I bet this dish will taste spectacular with your garden-fresh tomatoes.
I love the noodle combinations you chose, getting the max in taste and health. And you can’t go wrong with Pesto.
Are the squash noodles not cooked?
No, they’re great raw!
Glad the dog is home safe. While electric fences have their drawbacks, if you decide to go that route, one way to get them through for a walk, if you don’t want to use the car, is to pick them up and carry then over the boundary. As a pet sitter, I’ve found that works without their losing respect for it. Of course, be sure their fence collar is OFF.
As for the recipe, I actually made it, and it was fabulous. The combo of the roasted and raw tomatoes was far superior to jsut using one or the other. Even my meat-loving husband had 2 helpings. I used a spiralizer instead of julienning the squash. Do wish you’d add the amount of squash, since both types come in a very wide array of sizes. No matter, I just eye-balled it. Definitely will be making this often through the season, since we are growing the cherry tomatoes and basil.
Thank you, Sue. I’m investigating local dog fence companies. Glad you enjoyed the pasta, and I’m sorry for not indicating the size of the zucchini in the recipe. I’ll add “medium” zucchini now.
I’m so glad your little lady is safe! Those brief moments of terror you experience when someone you love so much is in danger are awful. This pasta, lady, needs no transitions :)
Oh lovely. This post rings so true!! I met a gentleman in Florence today (I was having coffee in a cafe) after asking if I could pat his 16 year old dog named Zoe. She was just beautiful… rather deaf and blind, but completely loving and trusting (with that gorgeous greying fur around the face. So beautiful). I ended up chatting a little bit with the owner about his relationship with Zoe (in broken English/Italian) and it really brought home the great pain/loss/gain/love/richness/stress that comes with owning a dog. As with any great love, allowing yourself to get attached brings a new sense of vulnerability, as a part of yourself is invested in another. I both hate and love that fact, but at the end of the day, it’s totally worth it.
So glad that Cookie is back home and safe. My little Jack used to ‘artfully escape’ every now and then, so I can understand the horrible stress! At the end of the day, they don’t understand the stress that they cause us. Just like children, really ;) My first goal after I get home from traveling is to get another dog. No other love is as pure, unconditional and beautiful as what you receive from a dog :) Anyway, I am losing track… this noodle dish is GORGEOUS. So nourishing and colourful. Such a celebration of summer goodness! xx
Just made this recipe. Classic flavor combination made even better adding the julienned raw zucchini for texture. Good call adding the red pepper flakes. I held back a bit but feel it would have benefited by the full pinch. Nice work!
Thanks, Stakra! Glad you appreciated the recipe!
I know the exact feeling about seeing your dog take off. It’s absolutely horrifying and makes your heart beat faster than you ever thought possible. I’m so happy Cookie is safe back at home! What a cutie. I seriously can’t get enough of that pup.
And this pasta? My goodness it looks good! I love combining pasta with zucchini noodles for a great texture contrast. Such a fabulously bright, seasonal recipe. The pecans are a great idea instead of pine nuts -must give that a go.
It is the worst feeling. Ugh! I’d do anything to make sure it never happens again. I love pecans in pesto, hope you’ll give it a try soon!
It is too hard to say goodbye to that furry companion after 19 years of beng together, I feel lost without my Border Collie mix. Even after a yr I still hurry home if I think it may storm (he hated storms), reach across the bed without thinking to see it he is there. Putting him to sleep was the right decision the bad days out numbered the good. The right decision is what my head says, my heart, I’d give anything for one more day. I found this puppy dumped on a dusty Oklahoma country road. He waved a tiny paw as I drove by, I am that older mutt mom just don’t think I can do it again.
Denise, I’m so sorry for your loss. I can’t stand to think about losing Cookie. I just hope she lives a long, healthy life with me. Nineteen years would be incredible! P.s. Cookie is from Oklahoma, too. (Tulsa.)
Just finished making and eating Pesto Pasta – FANTASTIC – tried to copy it exactly and it was so tasty my husband went back for 3rds -hmmm maybe too good. I might be a bit more adventurous and add a bit more red pepper flakes next time (I was conservative).And we both liked that it wasn’t too garlicky either. Thanks Kate!
Hooray! Thank you, Chelsea! I love spicy food so I’m usually pretty generous with those pepper flakes.