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Pesto and Pancetta Rigatoni with Burrata 🍝
When good basil is around, I’ll happily spend the extra five minutes making pesto from scratch. Blended bright and grassy, it makes the whole dish. It gets tossed with rigatoni, crispy pancetta, and burst cherry tomatoes, then a ball of burrata goes on top and melts into everything as you stir. It looks like something off a trattoria menu, but it comes together fast. Nonna would approve, and that’s the bar I cook to.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 894kcal
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- Juice of half a fresh lemon
- 1 garlic clove, raw & whole
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Sprinkle of black pepper
- 2 big handfuls (about 2 cups) fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 (4 oz) burrata ball
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- 2 ladles pasta water (or more for saucier pasta)
- 1 (4 oz) package pancetta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 (4 oz) burrata ball, for topping (if desired)
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil water to cook pasta. Once water is boiling, salt it generously (2tbsp) and cook rigatoni pasta until al dente (about 11-12 minutes). NOTE: DO NOT DISCARD PASTA WATER WHEN STRAINING, you will need it later in the recipe!
- Make homemade pesto; in a blender or food processor, add toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until well chopped. Add basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese and burrata ball. Pulse until combined – it should be thick, creamy and spoonable.
- In a large, deep pan on medium heat, add pancetta. Cook until slightly crispy (about 3 minutes). Then, add garlic and cherry tomatoes, Cook until tomatoes become softened (about 8-10 minutes). Then, add cooked pasta, pesto sauce, and 2 ladles of pasta water. Mix until well combined.
- Add burrata ball on top, if using and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 894kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 523mg | Potassium: 516mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Blanch nothing, just blend the pesto fresh; a raw garlic clove keeps it punchy.
- Render the pancetta until crisp and use that fat to burst the tomatoes.
- Loosen the pesto with a ladle of starchy pasta water so it coats every tube.
- Stir the pesto in off the heat so it stays vibrant green.
- Tear the burrata over the hot pasta right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my pesto turn dark?
Heat and air. Stir it in off the burner and finish with lemon — the acid helps it hold that bright green.
Can I use store-bought pesto?
You can, and nobody will call the police. But fresh really is the difference here, and it’s five minutes in a blender.
No burrata. What else?
Fresh mozzarella torn over the top, or a few spoonfuls of ricotta stirred through at the end.
Can I use bacon instead of pancetta?
Sure. Bacon brings smoke, pancetta stays more delicate. Either way, render it crisp and cook the tomatoes in that fat.
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