This Pesto Spaghetti with Blistered Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic is the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner recipe for two! Serve it with a nice bottle of wine and a beautifully set table for a romantic date night at home!
I am so excited to be collaborating with a new home brand today, Pepper! Pepper was started by two of my friends, Kelsey and Erin, after they met at business school. It’s an e-commerce brand that designs beautiful, yet affordable, home accessories defined by color and pattern. They launched just a few months ago, and on a personal note, I am SO proud of them!!
Their products are designed in New York City and manufactured in Portugal and Peru. The quality is REALLY good — just wait until you touch these fabrics!
As someone who typically only wears solid colors and decorates their home in solid colors, I love that Pepper designs add a really fun pop to any room. I am allllll about their table linens, which is what I used to style the Pesto Spaghetti recipe below!
To make things easy, you can purchase a curated bundle of some of their most popular prints. It’s a great value, plus if you have no idea how to mix and match patterns, they basically do the work for you!
Their pink Carolina collection is perfect for Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day!), and right now you can get 15% off their Valentine’s Day collection by using the code BRIEMINE.
How to Make Pesto Spaghetti with Blistered Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I collaborated with Pepper to create a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner for two! This Pesto Spaghetti with Blistered Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic is simple to make (for you novice cooks out there!), but will be sure to impress your date.
Since the ingredients in this recipe are minimal, I highly recommend purchasing good quality pesto and the best cherry tomatoes you can get. Since these are the stay players in this dish, you will absolutely taste the difference.
Wine lovers: pair this Pesto Spaghetti with a dry, crisp white wine such as Sancerre or Sauvignon Blanc. For a red alternative, try a light bodied wine with low tannins, like Pinot Noir or Gamay.
I have no doubt that you’ll love this pasta dinner for two! If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out! Tag me in your recreations on Instagram @littlechefbigappetite or #littlechefbigappetite.
Whether you’re celebrating with a special someone, girl friends, or just want to treat yourself this holiday, Happy Valentine’s Day! XOXO
You May Also Like:
Whole Wheat Orzo with Blistered Tomatoes and Mint
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken Sausage
This Pesto Spaghetti with Blistered Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic is the perfect date night dinner for two! Use your favorite spaghetti: whole wheat, gluten-free, or regular.
- 1 small head of garlic
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 6 oz. spaghetti, type of choice (whole wheat, gluten-free, etc.)
- 1/4 cup pesto, plus more to taste
- 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1/8 cup fresh basil, sliced
- Salt and pepper
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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Using a sharp knife, cut 1/4 inch from the top of the garlic cloves, exposing the individual cloves. Wrap the garlic in a small piece of aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the cloves are soft and caramelized.
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After 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes. Toss lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast with the garlic for 5 minutes, toss and roast for another 5 minutes, until blistered and bubbling.
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Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil, salt the water and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions for al dente. Before straining the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Strain the remaining water and rinse the pasta until cold water (this will prevent the noodles from sticking together).
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Return the spaghetti to the pot and toss with the pesto, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Carefully remove the garlic from the aluminum foil and squeeze the caramelized cloves into the pasta. Toss to ensure the garlic is distributed throughout. Optional: add some of the reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, to make the pesto-cheese mixture extra creamy.
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Transfer the pasta to a large bowl bowl and top with the blistered tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil. Season with a pinch more of salt and pepper, to taste.
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Liz
These prints are beautiful! I agree — I do a lot of solids in my house as well, so prints are such a fun way to add pops of color and pizzazz!
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
Exactly! I always gravitate towards neutrals and solids, so Pepper patterns add just the right amount of fun!