Transform your standard weeknight pasta dinner into the tastiest meal of the week with pasta al pesto! The fresh flavors bursting from the pesto make it the perfect sauce for a bright yet warm and comforting pasta dinner. Simply combine any pesto with any type of pasta - the possibilities are endless!
I love homemade pesto. It is basically a garlicky, herby and zesty flavor bomb that comes together with so little effort. Plus it takes just 5 minutes to make, meaning I can whip up a fresh batch of pesto from start to finish while the pasta cooks and have them both come together at the same time.
I also love that pesto uses simple ingredients and can easily be made vegan and dairy-free. As long as you have olive oil and fresh garlic, you can combine those with basically any herb or nut (or seed!) to create a vibrant sauce.
I've been enjoying my homemade basil pesto sauce for years, but I also mix it up from time to time using my pistachio pesto, kale pesto and hemp seed pesto. The whole family looks forward to this Italian classic!
The types of pasta traditionally used in pasta al pesto are trofie and trenette. Trofie is a short and thin twisted pasta that is perfect for pesto because the little crevices catch a lot of the sauce. Trenette is a long and narrow flat pasta that is similar to linguine.
I enjoy switching up which pasta I use, but my favorite type to serve with pesto is a short curly one such as fusilli, rotini or cavatappi. They just do such a great job in trapping all the pesto sauce to ensure that each bite is packed with fresh flavor!
Ingredients
Making your own pesto requires basic ingredients, many of which can be substituted in the event you don't have a particular one on hand. This recipe uses the ingredients from my classic basil pesto, but any of my pesto recipes above will work to add nutty flavor and creamy texture for a delicious pasta dish!
Instructions
1. Start cooking the pasta.
2. Pulse the pesto ingredients (all but the olive oil). Then slowly pour the olive oil in while the blades are running.
3. Pour the pesto over the cooked pasta and mix!
Recipe Variations
Pesto is such a unique sauce in that the only true staples are fresh garlic and olive oil. Everything else can be swapped according to your liking or what you have on hand in the pantry!
- Swap the basil: Try fresh herbs such as arugula, parsley, cilantro, dill or even mint leaves - almost any herb can be made into pesto!
- Swap the pine nuts: Pistachios and walnuts are popular substitutions but almonds and cashews also make for flavorful pesto. You can also make it completely nut-free by using pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds.
- Swap the parmesan cheese: I don't use cheese in my pesto, but vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast can certainly be added if desired.
More Pesto Pasta Recipes
I hope you enjoy this easy pasta al pesto recipe! I always value your feedback so please leave a comment below or tag me @eatingbyelaine so I can see your beautiful pesto creations!
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15-Minute Pasta al Pesto (Pesto Sauce with Pasta)
- Total Time: 15
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Transform your standard weeknight pasta dinner into the tastiest meal of the week with pasta al pesto! The fresh flavors bursting from the pesto make it the perfect sauce for a bright yet warm and comforting pasta dinner. Simply combine any pesto with any type of pasta - the possibilities are endless!
The pesto below is my classic basil pesto but feel free to make any homemade pesto such as pistachio pesto, kale pesto or hemp seed pesto!
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed fresh basil (or 3 ounces)
- ⅓ cup raw pine nuts
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 large cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- 8-10 oz pasta (any type)
Instructions
- Start cooking the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Start the pesto. While the pasta cooks, add all of the pesto ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor (or blender) and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
- Add olive oil to the pesto. Pour the olive oil and then water in a slow and steady stream into the food processor while the blades are still running and continue to pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. Pause to scrape down the sides if necessary. If too thick, add a splash of water with the blades still running to thin it out further.
- Combine the pesto with the cooked pasta. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, pour the pesto overtop the warm pasta and mix until fully combined. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. For best results, reheat it on the stovetop and add a little water and olive oil to the pot to help rehydrate it. Reheating in the microwave is also fine to do.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Anjali says
This recipe turned out so well! The pesto was refreshing, light and super flavorful - it was great tossed with the pasta for a light lunch!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you Anjali!