Italian · Main · Easy
Pesto Pasta
Trofie or penne tossed in fresh basil pesto with pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan, loosened with starchy pasta water until it coats every noodle in green, garlicky glory.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Pesto Pasta, in 5 ideas
- Add the olive oil in a steady drizzle while the processor runs, it emulsifies the pesto so it does not separate.
- The lemon juice keeps the basil bright green and adds a lift that cuts the richness.
- Short, twisty pastas like fusilli trap pesto in their grooves, long noodles let it slide off.
- Toss the pesto with the pasta off direct heat, boiling heat dulls the fresh basil flavor.
- Scrape down the food processor sides once or twice, uneven chunks make a gritty sauce.
What you need
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (trofie, penne, or fusilli)
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
How to make it
Directions
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Pulse the pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
- Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth.
- Pulse in the Parmesan, pepper, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt.
- Boil the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the pasta with the pesto in a large bowl, adding splashes of hot pasta water until the sauce turns creamy and clings.
- Serve with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Make a double batch of pesto, freeze the extra in ice cube trays, and you have single-serve flavor bombs for months at a fraction of the store-bought price.