Description
A comforting and flavorful dish featuring homemade pesto, fresh basil, garlic, and pine nuts tossed with pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh basil, packed
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- Pasta of choice (spaghetti, penne, or gluten-free)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a food processor, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped. Add parmesan if using.
- With the processor running, stream in reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Toss the drained pasta with the pesto over low heat until well-coated. Adjust with more pasta water if needed.
- Serve with additional parmesan, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
You can substitute pine nuts with sunflower seeds for a vegan option. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pasta Preparation
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: pasta, pesto, Italian cuisine, vegetarian dish, family recipe