This pesto pasta recipe is a delicious quick and easy summer recipe! It can be served as a main dish or side dish, and you can enjoy it warm or cold! Full instructions how to make your own basil pesto are included, or you can make it even easier and use store-bought!
Cook pasta according to package instructions, be sure to use salted water.
Drain (do not rinse), return to dry pot, cover with a lid and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, make the homemade pesto sauce:
Heat pine nuts in a small sauté pan over medium heat, stir once you notice them starting to brown. Once they start to brown the process happens fast so watch carefully and remove from heat once all nuts are roasted (about 5 minutes), and let them cool.
Reserve 2 TBS roasted pine nuts for serving.
Put olive oil and basil leaves into the container of a Vitamix (or another high-powered blender). Blend for about 60 seconds until the ingredients are combined but not totally smooth. You may need to pause, scrape down the sides, and then continue blending.
Add ¼ cup pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and blend or process until you reach your desired consistency (about 30-60 seconds). You may need to pause, scrape down the sides, and then continue blending.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired, pulse to combine.
Put it together:
Transfer warm pasta to a serving dish.
Add homemade pesto sauce and stir into pasta until evenly distributed.
Sprinkle with remaining toasted pine nuts!
Add tomatoes and fresh basil if desired.
Serve warm or transfer to the refrigerator to chill and serve cold.
Video
Notes
StoreStore leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Enjoy warm or cold.Ingredient Substitutions:
Pasta: I really enjoy using thick spaghetti noodles (Bucatini) in this recipe. However you can use any other pasta with great results. Here are some suggestions:
Spaghetti noodles: like I said, bucatini is my favorite. But angel hair, tagiatelle, linguine, etc.
Shaped pasta: bow ties (aka Farfalle) , rigatoni, fusilli, wheels (rotelle), etc.
Use zucchini noodles (or any other veggie noodles) for a veggie version.
Fresh basil. I don't recommend making any substitutions for fresh basil, as it will dramatically effect the final taste. However, in a pinch (when I don't have enough basil), I sometimes substitute up to half of the basil with fresh spinach, but never all of it.
Olive oil. You can use flavor-infused olive oils (like garlic, herb, etc.) just make sure it would compliment the basil. Another neutral oil like avocado oil could also be used.
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! If you have picky eaters you can also try using a small amount of garlic powder.
Parmesan cheese. Again, the quality of parmesan cheese used will make a difference in the final taste of this pesto sauce. I recommend freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor!