Pesto Pasta (Authentic Italian in 15 Minutes)

This pesto pasta is bursting with flavor with tips to make it silky and extra delicious. It takes less than 15 minutes and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Here I've made homemade pesto but you can also use store bought

📝 Ingredients

• 6 oz / 170g pasta - I've used spaghetti
• 3-4 tablespoons basil pesto - homemade pesto or store-bought
• Optional garnish - grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves
• 1.5 oz / 40g fresh basil leaves (~2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese - grated
• 1/4 lemon - juiced
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1If using store-bought pesto, skip to step 4To make homemade pesto, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over low heat for a few minutes until lightly toasted
2. 2In a food processor or blender, add the basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, toasted pine nuts and a good pinch of salt and pepper
3. 3Pulse so that the mixture is nicely blended, but make sure not to over blend as you still want some texture. *You can also make the pesto in a mortar and pestle - more detailed pesto recipe here
4. 4Boil the pasta in a pot of heavily salted water until al dente (according to package instructions)
5. 5Drain the cooked pasta and add to a large bowl, making sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water
6. 6Add a good splash of the cooking water to the bowl along with the pesto sauce (start with 3 tablespoons, especially if using store-bought pesto)Carefully toss the pasta with the pesto using tongs, try not to break the pasta up. You can add more pasta water slowly as needed to keep the pasta nice and silky, and add a 4th spoon of pesto if preferred
7. 7Taste for seasoning, if using store-bought pesto you can add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavorsServe up your delicious silky Pesto Pasta with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!