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 sauce. 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 can be made in any number of ways, 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!
What is Pasta al Pesto?
Pasta al pesto literally translates to "pasta with pesto." Pretty simple, right?
Pesto originated in Genoa, Italy around the 16th century. Traditional pesto consists of fresh garlic, fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil and Romano or parmesan cheese. This classic recipe has since been modified in hundreds of ways over the years as it has gained popularity worldwide.
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 pasta 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 its fresh flavor!
Ingredients for Pasta al Pesto
Making your own pesto sauce 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!
- Basil - You can find fresh basil leaves in the produce section of the grocery store, but it also can be grown at home in your garden!
- Pine nuts - Use raw pine nuts for this recipe.
- Lemon - I think fresh lemon juice tastes best! Use the juice from about half of a lemon.
- Garlic - Start with two garlic cloves, and if you like your pesto extra garlicky, you can taste and add more!
- Extra virgin olive oil - Use good quality extra virgin olive oil as this is essentially the base of the sauce.
- Pasta - Choose your favorite pasta shape as any of them would work! Use gluten-free if desired.
Instructions
1. Start cooking the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
2. 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.
3. Add olive oil to the pesto. Pour the olive oil 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.
4. 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.
Storage and Reheating
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.
If you make extra pesto, a great way to store leftovers is to pour the sauce in ice cube trays and pop them into the freezer. Then, whenever you're in need of pesto you can simply thaw out individual servings without having to defrost the entire batch.
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!
Basil - Try fresh herbs such as arugula, parsley, cilantro, dill or even mint leaves - almost any herb can be made into pesto!
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.
Parmesan cheese - I don't use any cheese in my pesto, but vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast can certainly be added if desired.
Add-ons - Black pepper and lemon zest provide hints of additional flavors if desired.
More Pesto Pasta Recipes
More Vegan Italian Pasta Dishes
- Aglio e Olio (olive oil and garlic pasta)
- Creamy Burst Cherry Tomato Basil Pasta
- Chickpea Bolognese Pasta
- Skillet Italian Mushrooms with Creamy Pasta
- Pasta al Limone
- Pasta Primavera
You can find all my pasta recipes here.
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!
Print
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!