Pesto Pasta Recipe

Some pasta dishes are comfort food. Others are celebration food. Pesto Pasta is that rare gem that’s both. It’s light yet rich, earthy yet zippy, and it comes together so quickly, you’ll feel like you’ve hacked dinner in the most delicious way possible.

Made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil, pesto is the OG green sauce. It’s punchy, fresh, and totally versatile. Toss it with pasta, slather it on sandwiches, or stir it into soups—it makes everything taste a little fancier with almost no effort.

This version sticks to the traditional Genovese style but includes optional swaps in case pine nuts aren’t in your budget (or pantry). The pesto is made from scratch, the pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, and the whole dish is ready in the time it takes to boil water. We love a green flag moment like that.

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Ingredients (serves 2–3):

For the pesto:

• Fresh basil – 2 cups, packed

• Pine nuts – 1/4 cup (or walnuts/cashews)

• Garlic – 1 large clove

• Parmesan cheese – 1/3 cup, grated

• Extra virgin olive oil – 1/3 cup

• Lemon juice – 1 tsp (optional, for brightness)

• Salt – 1/4 tsp

• Black pepper – to taste

For the pasta:

• Pasta of choice – 200g (spaghetti, penne, fusilli, etc.)

• Salt – for the pasta water

• Pasta water – 1/4 cup (reserved before draining)

• Optional: cherry tomatoes, extra basil, more Parmesan for topping

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta (10–12 minutes):
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 1/4 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain and keep warm.

2. Make the pesto (5 minutes):
While the pasta cooks, blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly until the pesto becomes smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice if using, and taste for seasoning.

3. Combine pasta and pesto (2–3 minutes):
Add the cooked pasta to a large bowl or pan. Pour the pesto over the top and toss to coat. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water to help emulsify and make the sauce silky. Keep tossing until everything is glossy and green.

4. Plate and garnish:
Serve warm, topped with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and a few halved cherry tomatoes or fresh basil leaves if you’re feeling fancy.

5. Eat immediately:
Pesto pasta doesn’t wait—it’s best served right away while everything is still warm and vibrant.

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Pro Tip:

Use fresh basil and good olive oil. They’re the stars of the show. And always add pesto off the heat—cooking it dulls the flavor and color. Want to make it ahead? Store pesto in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it from browning.

Bonus: freeze leftover pesto in ice cube trays for instant green sauce whenever the craving strikes.