Pesto Pasta (Pasta al Pesto)
Fresh basil blended with pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano, and olive oil, tossed through hot pasta — the Genoese classic. It is never cooked, only warmed by the pasta, so the green color and aroma stay vivid in this fast one-plate dish.
Ingredients
- Pasta · trofie, linguine, or spaghetti200 g
- Salt · for the pasta water1 tbsp
- Basil pesto
- Fresh basil leaves · about 2-3 cups50 g
- Pine nuts · or walnuts3 tbsp
- Garlic1 clove
- Parmigiano cheese · finely grated40 g
- Olive oil · extra virgin0.5 cup
- Salt0.5 tsp
- Black pepper · a pinch
Steps
- ⏲ 2 min
Wash the basil and dry it completely. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan to bring out their aroma.
- ⏲ 2 min
In a blender (or mortar), combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, cheese, and salt, drizzling in the olive oil until smooth. Blend in short bursts so the heat does not dull the color.
- ⏲ 9 min
Boil the pasta in well-salted water for 1 minute less than the package time. Reserve half a cup of pasta water.
- ⏲ 1 min
Off the heat, toss the drained pasta with the pesto in a pan or large bowl, loosening with pasta water. Never cook the pesto.
When the sauce coats the pasta creamily, plate it and finish with extra cheese and pepper.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Classic Genovese: Boil sliced potato and green beans with the pasta and serve together.
- Nut swaps: No pine nuts? Walnuts or cashews work just as well.
- Basil + spinach: Mellow the basil by blending in some spinach.
- Add protein: Top with grilled chicken or shrimp for a full meal.
Tips
- Never heat the pesto — warm it only with the residual heat to keep the green color and aroma.
- Dry the basil thoroughly; wet basil makes a watery pesto.
- A ladle of pasta water emulsifies the sauce so it clings silkily to the pasta.
- Store leftover pesto with a thin film of olive oil on top to slow browning.
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