Pesto Pasta
🌿 20-Minute Pesto Pasta: The Quick Guide to Instant Freshness
Forget jarred sauce! This homemade basil pesto pasta is the freshest, fastest dinner you can make. With just 6 ingredients and 20 minutes, you'll have a vibrant, sun-drenched meal on the table.
What You Need (Ingredients)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
Fresh Basil Leaves | 2 cups (packed) | The fresher, the better! |
Pine Nuts (or Walnuts) | 1/2 cup | Briefly toast them for maximum flavor. |
Parmesan Cheese | 1/2 cup (freshly grated) | |
Garlic | 2 cloves | |
Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 1/2 cup | |
Pasta | 1 pound | Linguine, Spaghetti, or Penne work well. |
Super-Speed Instructions
Prep Pesto: In a food processor, combine the toasted nuts, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until roughly chopped.
Blend: While the processor runs, slowly stream in the olive oil until a smooth, bright green sauce forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan.
Cook Pasta: Cook your pasta al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.
Toss: Drain the pasta and immediately return it to the pot. Toss with your homemade pesto. Add the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce becomes creamy and clings beautifully to the noodles.
Serve immediately and enjoy the taste of summer!
Pro Tip: If you have leftover pesto, store it in the fridge and cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from turning brown.