Easy Pasta al Pesto Recipe (Linguine with Basil Pesto)
This easy Pasta al Pesto is a classic Italian dish that comes together in just 15 minutes using a handful of fresh, simple ingredients. It’s perfect for cozy weeknight dinners or quick lunches when you want something satisfying without the fuss!
Equipment
- high-speed blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 320 g uncooked pasta I use whole wheat Linguine
- 2.5 cup fresh basil leaves packed
- ½ cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup vegetarian parmesan grated optional
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on medium heat and cook the pasta according to the package instructions to al dente (usually 8-11 minutes depending on the pasta). Reserve a small cup of pasta water before draining.
- I use a blender for this recipe as I don’t have a food processor. But both work well! If using a blender, add all the ingredients and pulse in intervals of 5-10 seconds until you get a smooth paste with some small chunky pieces. You don’t want it to be completely smooth, so go in shorter intervals to better control the texture. If you use a food processor, add the basil, cashews, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan. Pulse until finely chopped. Then, while the processor is running, slowly add the olive oil until you form a uniform paste with some small chunks. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Once the cooked pasta is drained and placed in a large bowl or back in the pot, add about half of the pesto to begin with, and about 3 tablespoon of the pasta cooking water.
- Stir with tongs until well combined. Then adjust the pesto according to your preference.
- Serve the warm pasta immediately and top with red pepper flakes, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves before serving if desired!