Treat yourself to a big bowl of the BEST Pesto Pasta! This scrumptious recipe features an easy homemade pesto that you're sure to love. Best of all, this delicious pasta is ready in minutes, and it's bursting with bold, fresh flavors!
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Ginnie's Take
For the last couple of years, I've planted an herb garden on my apartment balcony. Although I have to water my plant babies like crazy in this Texas heat, my little garden makes me so happy! I love having fresh herbs whenever I need them, and this scrumptious Pesto Pasta recipe is a favorite recipe for using up a bumper crop of basil. Fresh pesto tastes so much better than store bought, and you can make it while your pasta cooks. Which means that dinner is ready in minutes. What could be better?
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious Flavor - This simple Italian pasta recipe has a bright, bold basil flavor that you won't be able to resist. And I'm sharing an easy trick for perfecting the recipe!
- Super Simple - You'll make the easy homemade pesto sauce sauce while the pasta cooks, and it's quick to prepare with just a few ingredients. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, but special enough for dinner parties, too!
- Easy to Customize - Serve the pasta as-is, or top it with roasted or sautéed veggies (a great way to clean out your fridge). You can also change up the sauce by using different herbs and nuts. And you can customize it according to your diet, too. You'll find lots of tips below.
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Ingredients
This recipe uses basic ingredients you can find in any grocery store! Here's what you'll need:
- Pasta - I like to make this recipe with spaghetti, because it's easy to find. However, you substitute almost any pasta shape. Pesto is traditionally served with trofie pasta (short twists) or trenette (which is similar to linguine), so grab one of those if you want to be authentic!
- Basil - You'll need some fresh basil for the pesto, of course. Try to use the freshest basil you can find.
- Nuts - This recipe uses pine nuts, but walnuts make a great substitute.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic gives the homemade sauce a fragrant kick.
- Cheese - You'll need Parmesan cheese for the sauce, and I like to sprinkle it over the finished dish, too. Tip: Make sure to use freshly grated cheese. The pre-shredded kind is dry and coated with anti-caking agents. It won't work nearly as well!
- Olive Oil - This recipe uses extra virgin olive oil, which gives a wonderful flavor and texture to the finished sauce.
- Salt - For the best taste, I recommend using kosher salt.
You can easily adjust this recipe according to different diets. Check out the Variations section below for tips!
You'll Also Need
Get out your food processor to prepare the sauce. You'll need a large dutch oven or pasta pot to cook the noodles, too. A pair of tongs will also come in handy for tossing the pasta with the sauce.
How to Make Pesto Pasta
This homemade Pesto Spaghetti is super easy to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Cook the pasta. Starting by cooking the pasta in large pot of boiling, well-salted water. It should be al dente when it's done (tender, but with a little bite in the middle). When the pasta is ready, reserve one cup of pasta cooking water, then drain it well.
- Make the pesto. While the pasta boils, prepare the pesto sauce. Place the garlic and pine nuts in your food processor, then pulse to mince. Add the basil, Parmesan, olive oil, and salt, then process until smooth. Tip: You can make the sauce as chunky or as smooth as you'd like. Blend a little longer for a smoother sauce.
- Add the pesto to the pasta. When the pasta is done cooking, add it back to the pot (off the heat). Then add the pesto, along with a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water.
- Mix everything together. Use a pair of tongs (or a couple wood spoons) to gently toss the pasta and pesto together. As you mix the pasta, add more pasta cooking water, as needed (I usually use about ½ cup, but you may need more or less). Before serving, season to taste with additional salt, if needed.
And that's it, time to eat. Serve your homemade Basil Pesto Pasta with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, then dive it. Yum!
Recipe Variations
You can keep this recipe simple and classic, or you can change things up with one of these easy ideas:
- Herbs - Got lots of herbs on hand? You can pair the basil with other soft herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, chives, mint, and more. Try using other flavors of pesto (like Rosemary Pesto, Macadamia Pesto, Cilantro Pesto, or Kale Pesto), too.
- Nuts - Swap out the pine nuts for walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans, and more. You can also skip the nuts (or substitute sunflower seeds or pepitas), if you have an allergy.
- Veggies - Top (or toss) the pasta with sautéed, grilled, or roasted vegetables, like asparagus, artichokes, zucchini, bell peppers, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (or Roasted Grape Tomatoes), and more! Tip: Add the veggies when the pesto is mostly mixed in, that way they won't get smashed.
- Vegan - To make the recipe vegan and dairy free, leave out the parmesan, replace it with a plant based alternative, or add some nutritional yeast (to taste).
- Gluten Free - Swap out the traditional pasta for GF pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this easy Pasta with Pesto Sauce with a basic salad (like this Green Salad, Garden Salad, or this Massaged Kale Salad), and dinner is done! It's also lovely paired with Roasted Vegetables or Grilled Veggies. For dessert, serve it with something simple, like this Salted Caramel Affogato or this Mango Sorbet.
Storage
This pasta is best served freshly made. However you can store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator, where they will stay fresh for up to four days. When you're ready to eat the pasta, sprinkle it with a few drops of water, cover the dish, and then reheat gently in your microwave.
Related Recipes
Can't get enough of this mouthwatering sauce? You'll find over 30 recipes using pesto here! And check out my other Pesto Pasta recipes, too:
Looking for more summery pasta recipes? Then you'll love this 15-Minute Tomato Basil Pasta, Fresh Tomato Sauce, and this Italian Pasta Salad.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Pesto can be served with almost any pasta shape. It works very well with spaghetti or linguine, as well as shaped pastas, such as fusilli or farfalle. For a more traditional pairing, choose trofie pasta (short twists) or trenette (which is similar to linguine).
The pesto to pasta ratio is ⅔ to 1 cup of pesto per pound of dried pasta. I usually use a full cup, which will give you a saucier, more full-flavored pasta. If you're not sure, it's always better to err on the side of using more sauce, rather than less!
The secret to perfect pesto pasta is to save one cup of pasta cooking water before draining your pasta. As you toss the pesto and pasta together, add just enough pasta cooking water to help thin the sauce a bit. The starchy water will emulsify the sauce (making it creamier) and help it coat the pasta better.
No, you should not heat pesto. Heating pesto will cause it to brown and lose its fresh flavor. Instead, you should toss the hot pasta with the pesto (off heat), along with a little pasta cooking water to help thin the sauce and to coat the pasta better.
You should never rinse pasta before tossing it with a sauce. Rinsing pasta washes aways its starch, and you need the starch to help the sauce stick to the pasta.
Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
For Pasta:
- 1 pound (454 grams) spaghetti
- kosher salt
For Pesto Sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 4 cups basil leaves
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Pasta Pot
Instructions
Prepare Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
- Remove 1 cup of pasta cooking water (set aside), then drain pasta in a colander.
Prepare Pesto:
- While pasta cooks, place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Process until finely chopped.
- Add basil, Parmesan, olive oil, and a little salt to garlic mixture. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Season generously with additional salt to taste. Set aside.
Finish Pasta:
- Return drained pasta to pot (off heat) or place in a large bowl. Add pesto.
- Mix pasta and pesto using a pair of tongs (or two wood spoons). Add just enough of the pasta cooking water (a bit at a time) to create a cohesive sauce that coats the pasta evenly.
- Season to taste with additional salt, if needed.
- Serve pasta immediately, topped with additional shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
