# Pesto Pasta

Bright basil pesto tossed with al dente pasta — fresh, garlicky, and on the table in under 30 minutes.

_Dinner · Italian_

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 25 min · Yields: 4 servings

## Ingredients

- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine (or any long pasta)
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed, stems removed)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated, plus more to serve)
- ⅓ cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more for pasta water)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, brightens the pesto)

## Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously — it should taste like mild seawater.
2. Toast the 0.33 cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until golden. Transfer immediately to a plate to stop cooking.
3. Combine the 2 cups basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, and 3 cloves garlic in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until coarsely chopped.
4. With the processor running, stream in the 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow, steady pour until the pesto is smooth but still has some texture.
5. Add the 0.5 cup Parmesan, 1 tsp kosher salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon juice if using. Pulse 3–4 more times to combine. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Cook the 12 oz pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 0.5 cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside.
7. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot off the heat. Add the pesto and toss to coat, splashing in the reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is silky and clings to every strand.
8. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.

## Tip

> Keep the pesto off direct heat — boiling it turns basil dull and bitter. Toss everything in the pot after you've pulled it off the burner, and use the pasta water to loosen the sauce instead of reheating it.

Tags: vegetarian, 30-minute, weeknight, one-pan

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Canonical: https://just-recipes.io/recipes/pesto-pasta