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Fun and festive Christmas Pasta recipe with a five-minute homemade basil pesto. Topped with adorable mini mozzarella snowmen, this pasta dish is everything you want in a showstopping holiday meal!

Bowl of pesto pasta topped with skewers of mozzarella and tomato snowmen, decorated with basil leaves and black sesame seeds for facial features and buttons.
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Serve it as an easy dinner any day in December, prepare it for your next holiday gathering, or surprise your kids and send it off in a lunchbox.

A hand holding a bowl of pasta with pesto topped with skewers shaped like snowmen and Santa hats made from mozzarella, tomatoes, black sesame seeds, and basil.

Recipe Tip

Feel free to double or triple the quantities if cooking for a larger group.

Christmas Pasta Ingredients

Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!ย 

A flat lay of Christmas Pasta ingredients featuring spaghetti, grape tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, olive oil, sesame seeds, pine nuts, garlic, bocconcini, and sea salt, each festive ingredient labeled.
  • Pesto: It only takes 5 minutes to make homemade pesto with fresh basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper (not pictured).
  • Spaghetti: I like using spaghetti for this recipe, but any pasta will do.
  • Bocconcini: Also known as mini mozzarella balls.
  • Grape tomatoes: Use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, as long as they are as wide as the mini mozzarella balls, so the snowmanโ€™s hat doesnโ€™t look too overwhelming.
  • Fresh basil: For the snowmanโ€™s scarf. Swap for spinach, mint, or omit.
  • Sesame seeds: For the snowman eyes and buttons (or use chia seeds).

How to Make Christmas Pasta

Basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic cloves, and Parmesan cheese in a food processor ready for blending.
  1. Prepare the pesto. Mix the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil. Season to taste.
A hand holds a skewer with a snowman made of mozzarella balls, a tomato, basil leaves, and a carrot piece on a wooden surface.
  1. Assemble the snowmen.
A hand spoons green basil pesto onto spaghetti in a metal bowl.
  1. Cook the pasta. Drain and toss with pesto (and pasta water).
A festive bowl of pesto spaghetti topped with a skewer featuring a snowman made of mozzarella, tomato, and basil.
  1. Arrange the pasta pesto in a bowl and top with the snowmen.

Tips for Success

  • Use only basil leaves.
  • Cook the pasta al dente.
  • Add a small quantity of the pasta water when mixing the spaghetti and pesto to combine the flavors.
  • If serving the pasta on several smaller platters, make sure there is at least one snowman for each person.
  • Do not heat the pesto as it will lose its beautiful color and flavor.ย 

Possible Variations

  • Pesto: You can make pesto with spinach, parsley, arugula, mint, kale, coriander, or sundried tomatoes. Swap pine nuts for any nuts, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, chili flakes, or jalapeรฑo for even more flavor.
  • Add-ins: Top with Parmesan cheese, cheddar, chicken, shrimp, chopped tomatoes, edamame, or flaked salmon.
  • Snowmen: You can make snowman faces instead and leave out the canapรฉ sticks.
  • Canapรฉ sticks: Swap for toothpicks. If the snowman is too long, just make the face and hat. Be sure to remove the toothpicks before eating.
  • Sesame seeds: Nigella or chia seeds.
  • Presentation: Skip the pasta and make a snowman salad instead (see photo).
A plate of salad with skewers arranged in a circle, each decorated to look like snowmen using mozzarella, tomatoes, and arugula. A festive string of lights surrounds the plate.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover pasta pesto and snowmen in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 2 days.ย 

FAQs

Should I heat the pesto before adding it to the pasta?

No, toss it with the hot pasta. Heating the pesto can make it turn black.

The recipe doesnโ€™t yield enough pesto for the pasta I cooked. What do I do?

You can make a double portion of pesto if you like.

Can I freeze leftover pesto?

Yes, dollop it into a small glass container or freezer bag. Use within 3 months.

More Festive Recipes

If you make this recipe or any other recipe on Foodbites, then I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to leave a comment or rating below.

Bowl of pesto pasta topped with skewers of mozzarella and tomato snowmen, decorated with basil leaves and black sesame seeds for facial features and buttons.
Servings: 3 people

Christmas Pasta

By Sine Siemkowicz
A festive pasta pesto topped with jolly mini mozzarella snowmen.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredientsย 

Basil pesto

  • 1 handful fresh basil, leaves
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 20 grams pine nuts
  • 20 grams Parmesan
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Mini mozzarella snowmen

  • 4 grape tomatoes
  • 9 bocconcini, mini mozzarella balls
  • fresh basil leaves, to garnish
  • 15 black sesame seeds

Pasta

  • 250 grams spaghetti
  • 100 ml pasta water, reserve from the pasta

Instructionsย 

  • To make the pesto, mix all the ingredients in a mini food processor (you can add more olive oil for a runnier consistency).
  • To make the snowmen, cut the tip off the grape tomatoes.
  • Slice a bocconcini to make the bottom of the hat.
  • Slide the grape tomato tip onto a canapรฉ stick, followed by the slice of cheese.
  • Next, add two bocconcinis.
  • Top with sesame seeds for eyes and buttons, a small sliver of tomato peel for the nose, and a fresh basil scarf.
  • Assemble the additional snowmen.
  • Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the packet instructions.
  • Drain and toss with the pesto and a little pasta water.
  • Transfer the pasta pesto to a bowl.
  • Top with the snowmen.
  • Serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 700kcal, Carbohydrates: 65g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 127mg, Potassium: 265mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 101IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 210mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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