Easy Pesto Pasta Recipe (Ready in 20 Minutes!)
This Easy Pesto Pasta recipe comes together in just 20 minutes using a quick homemade basil pesto made with fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and lemon. It's fresh, flavorful, and BY FAR one of the simplest weeknight dinners in my regular rotation.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta I used spaghetti
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
- 3-4 cloves garlic*
- 1 lemon juiced (about 2-3 tablespoons)
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves tightly packed
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated or shredded
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more as desired
- For serving: extra parmesan, pine nuts, and fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- (Optional but highly recommended): Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes until they start to darken in color. This step is totally optional and I've made pesto many times without toasting the nuts. But I love the extra flavor.
- Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add the pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are broken up – about 10 times. Next, add the basil and parmesan and pulse until the basil is broken into small pieces – about 10 pulses.
- With the food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in ⅓ cup of olive oil. Add more olive oil as desired for a smoother consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto, adding the reserved pasta water, a small splash at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. I usually add just a couple tablespoons of pasta water. You can leave it out completely as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Garlic - you can leave it out all together or just add in as much as you'd like. I typically like a lot but anywhere between 1-5 cloves would work well.
Pine nuts - toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to darken in color, just a few minutes. Watch them closely so they don't burn.
Storage + Reheating - Leftover pesto pasta keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When reheating, add a small splash of water or olive oil and warm it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave - the pasta tends to absorb the sauce as it sits, so the extra liquid brings it right back. The pesto itself can be stored separately for up to a week in the fridge (with that olive oil layer on top) or frozen for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 636kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1026IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 3mg
