Posted Aug 11, 2019, Updated May 07, 2024 One of the things I love the most about summertime is the abundance of fresh herbs, especially basil! This Pesto Pasta recipe (also known as pasta al pesto) is a great way to use all the delicious fresh basil growing in your garden and available at the farmer’s market! It’s an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love! This Pesto Pasta calls for making your own pesto sauce, but don’t let that intimidate you! It’s really easy and only takes 5 minutes to whip up homemade pesto! Mix it into your favorite pasta, add some toasted pine nuts and presto, you have a fresh & delicious meal or side dish ready in 20 minutes! Serve it with this baked pesto chicken! YUM!
Pesto Pasta: Ingredients & Substitutions
Fresh basil. If you are short on basil, you can substitute up to half of the basil with fresh spinach (although I would prefer to just halve the recipe than make this substitution). Olive oil. avocado oil is a good substitute. Pine nuts. Pine nuts are key to making a classic pesto recipe, and shouldn’t be substituted if you’re going for a 100% authentic flavor. If you must, you can try using other nuts like walnuts, pecans or almonds. Minced garlic. Fresh roasted garlic is also amazing in this pesto recipe. Pasta: I really enjoy using thick spaghetti noodles (Bucatini) in this pesto pasta recipe. However you can use your favorite like angel hair, tagiatelle, linguine, rigatoni, fusilli, wheels (rotelle), etc. Or try this pesto tortellini. Or use gluten-free pasta like chickpea pasta, or make zucchini noodles!
How to Make pesto pasta
This pesto pasta is super easy to whip up, including making your making your own pesto sauce!
Cook the Pasta
I recommend starting this pesto pasta recipe by cooking the pasta! Boiling a pot of water takes longer than actually making the homemade pesto sauce! So you want to get that going right away!
Use salted water
Always, always cook pasta in salted water! It adds so much flavor to the overall taste of this Pesto Pasta Recipe! Return the drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in and cover it with a lid to keep it warm for serving!
Make the Homemade Pesto Sauce
Like I said above, making pesto sauce is so quick and easy! However, if you are really in a pinch you could always use store bought pesto sauce. For the sake of this recipe, I’ll assume you want to make your own pesto, and walk through the steps with you.
Toast the Pine Nuts
Begin making pesto by toasting the pine nuts. Since pine nuts are an expensive ingredient, you want to be sure to watch them closely and stir them every 30 seconds, so they don’t burn. It should take 4-5 minutes to toast them. Once they’re toasted, transfer the pine nuts from the warm pan to a small cookie sheet or baking pan to cool. Set aside 2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts to serve on the pesto pasta, and use the other ¼ cup to blend in the sauce.
Make the Pesto Sauce
While the pine nuts are cooling blend the olive oil and fresh basil together until they are well combined but not completely smooth. You may also use a food processor and you will get equally delicious results! Next, add ¼ cup pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and blend until you reach your desired consistency. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides of the container, and continue blending depending on the size of your blending container.
Make the Pesto Pasta
Now it’s time to make the pesto pasta! Since the pasta has been cooked and should be warm, simply add the pesto sauce, garnish with toasted pine nuts and tomatoes (if desired) and serve!
Serve
Once the pesto sauce is mixed into the warm pasta, add toasted pine nuts and serve. There are many ways to enjoy this pesto pasta, and many dishes that compliment it well! Here are some suggestions.
Chopped fresh basil Fresh parmesan cheese Baby tomatoes – raw or roasted Add some balsamic roasted vegetables (I do this often)! Top it with grilled chicken, salmon, etc. Serve it with this baked pesto chicken! YUM!
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Enjoy warm or cold. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
