Pasta al pesto is the perfect summer dish. Fresh basil, pine nuts and a few other simple ingredients are all you need to make the most delicious homemade basil pesto. You can serve it alone or alongside cooked vegetables.
If you like to eat pasta with salad on the side, this Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad pairs really well with it.
You may also like these gnocchi with an easy zucchini pesto or this pasta salad with sun-dried tomato pesto. All of these recipes are naturally vegan.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This pesto pasta recipe is so flavorful you don't need to add cheese.
- It's really easy to make and comes together in a blender.
- If you're in a rush, you can make dinner for the whole family in 15 minutes.
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Pine nuts are traditionally used to make pesto but I know that they are a little pricey. That's why I like to use half pine nuts and half cashews. You could however use only cashews or replace them with sunflower seeds (but the pesto will be less mild).
- Cashews add body, a delicate nutty flavor and replace the parmesan cheese in this recipe.
- Fresh basil leaves are the star of the show. Use Italian large leaf basil if you can. Don't be sparse and use a whole bunch of basil to make it really flavorful. That's about 2 cups of loosely packed basil.
- Extra virgin olive oil brings all the ingredients together. Chose an olive oil with a relatively mild flavor that you enjoy as is.
- Lemon juice adds some freshness. A tiny bit goes a long way. You don't want it to mask the basil aromas.
- Garlic is a must for any pesto recipe. You can use raw garlic cloves or garlic preserved in oil. A pinch of garlic powder works, too. Feel free to add more garlic than recommended if you like it extra garlicky.
- Pasta. Our favorite pasta shape for pasta al pesto is linguine or trenette (a thinner type of linguine, like flattened spaghetti). Use gluten-free pasta if necessary.
See recipe card for the full ingredient list and exact quantities.
Elo's top tips
- When buying basil, look for vibrant green leaves with no spots. Rub a leave between your fingers and smell it. It should be fragrant.
- If you have a basil plant, pick off the tips of the stems (above a leaf node). This will allow new leaves to grow.
- To wash your basil, rinse the leaves under cold water (don't immerse them completely) and pat them dry.
- If you like a lemony pesto, add some lemon zest to the blender.
- Don't heat the pesto as that would destroy the aroma of the basil. Simply mix it with warm pasta to reheat it naturally.
- Add a teaspoon of salt to the pasta water. Well-seasoned pasta is key to making flavorful pasta al pesto.
Step-by-step photos
STEP 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the linguine al dente according to package directions. Drain when cooked and add them back to the pot.
STEP 2: Blend the nuts first. Add the pine nuts and cashews to a small blender or the bowl of a food processor. Blend until a fine powder forms.
STEP 3: Make the basil pesto. Gently crush the basil leaves with your fingers to release the aromatic oils and add them to the blender. Then, add in the garlic, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous pinch of coarse sea salt.
STEP 4: Blend. If using a food processor, pulse several times until combined. If using a blender (as shown in the picture) blend until smooth. The texture will be different when mixed in a blender versus a food processor.
Important tip: crush the garlic before adding it to the blender to prevent having big chunks left in your pesto. You can mince it with a knife or use a garlic press.
STEP 5: Combine the pesto and the cooked pasta in the pot.
STEP 6: Mix until the pasta is well covered. Add a splash of water if necessary. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and extra pine nuts.
Watch the video!
Storage tips
Add your pesto to a clean container that you can close airtightly. Pour a layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation. This will keep your pesto fresh for longer and prevent it from turning brown.
You can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to three months. I like to freeze it into ice cubes for easy portioning.
Frequently asked questions
A bland-tasting pesto can be due to a very mild basil variety. You can try adding more basil and enhancing the overall flavor with a little lemon zest or some extra salt. Don't forget to gently rub the basil leaves with your fingers to release the aromatic oils.
When the pesto is exposed to air, oxidation (a chemical reaction) occurs and gives the pesto a brown color. To prevent this from happening you can blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 5 seconds (not more) and dunk them in ice water right away. Pat the leaves dry before blending.
You can definitely add the basil stems to your pesto, especially the thin ones. You may want to remove thick and sturdy stems. Add them to your compost if you have one.
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The recipe
Pasta Al Pesto (Linguine With Pesto)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (65 g) pine nuts
- ½ cup (65 g) cashews
- 2 (40 g) bunches of fresh basil more for topping
- 8 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove of garlic or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 generous pinch of coarse sea salt
- 4 servings of pasta gluten-free
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain when cooked.
- Add the pine nuts and cashews to a blender or food processor. Blend until finely ground.
- Next, add in the washed basil, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. If using a food processor, pulse until you obtain a chunky pesto. If using a blender, blend until combined. The texture will be creamier.
- Mix the pasta with the pesto. Top with the fresh basil.
Video
Notes
- 1 serving of pasta equals 2-3 ounces (60-85 g).
- To prevent the pesto from turning brown, blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 5 seconds (not more) and dunk them in ice water right away. Pat the leaves dry before blending.
- Don't heat the pesto as that would destroy the aroma of the basil. Simply mix it with warm pasta to reheat it naturally.
- Storage tips: pour a layer of olive oil on top of the pesto to prevent oxidation. Keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing tips: you can freeze the pesto for up to three months. I like to freeze it into ice cubes for easy portioning.
Nutrition
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My recommendation is not to add lemon or lime into it. Also, remove the stem from the garlic before crushing it. That'll reduce the garlic breath afterwards. Great recipe!
Interesting! Why do you prefer it without lemon? Great tip for the garlic!
The original genoese recipe doesn't have any lemon or any cashews but does have hard cheese (parmigiano-reggiano and pecorino, ideally from Sardinia or pecorino romano).