Discover how to make pesto pasta with this simple and quick recipe!
It’s one of our favorite midweek dinners because of its vibrant, robust flavor.
This time last year, Chicago had its first snowfall earlier. We were on our way to a scheduled appointment in the midst of November. The snowfall changed abruptly from “really charming” to “wow it’s really coming down!” Wearing much too light coats, we waited in the chilly vehicle for far too long, looking at brake lights and a dismal sky. What have we actually done, I wondered? We’ve relocated so far away from the sun, I write a blog about veggies, and I’m filming a book that needs to be finished by May, when the spring farmers markets open.
We got to where we were going – an industrial area in the Pullman neighborhood where, situated on the roof of the Method production facility, is Gotham Greens. I’ve been obsessed with their locally grown greens since the moment I came across their deliciously spicy arugula earlier this year. We got a tour of their rooftop greenhouse, and even though it was cold and miserable outside, it was so warm and sunny up there. There was a sea of the softest butter lettuces, my favorite spicy arugula, and the loveliest scent of fresh basil.
Later that night, with a fridge full of greens and a pantry full of not much else, I made my go-to quick & easy dinner: this five minute pesto pasta. We weren’t about to head out into the snow for any additional groceries, and really, nothing beats pasta in terms of combining bold flavor and easy prep.
How to Make Pasta with Pesto
As I said above, making pesto pasta is easy. Here’s all you need to do:
- Blend up a batch of my 6-ingredient basil pesto, or use store-bought pesto in a pinch.
- Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Then, add 1/4 cup of this pasta water back into the pot with your pesto, and stir to thin the pesto.
- Toss in the cooked pasta, and mix until the pesto thoroughly coats it.
- Add a big handful of arugula and toss until it’s barely wilted.
- Finish everything with a big squeeze of lemon, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and toasted pine nuts
Never made Pasta with Pesto before? Here are a few tips to get you started:
Pesto Pasta Recipe Tips
- Reserve some pasta water. My #1 pesto pasta tip! The salty, starchy pasta water will loosen the pesto enough to make a light sauce over the pasta. Because of its salty, starchy quality, this water will make a more flavorful, thicker final pesto sauce than regular water would.
- Add the greens at the last minute. I like my greens to be just slightly wilted, not totally limp. Toss them in at the last minute so that the hot pasta can wilt them, and then serve right away, while they still have a little crunch and vibrant color.
- Taste and adjust. Pesto vary in brightness, saltiness, and overall intensity of flavor, so make sure you taste and adjust your final dish before serving. Depending on your pesto, you might need to add an extra squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt, or a big grind of black pepper to make your pesto pasta sing.
Various Pesto Pasta Recipes
- This is a great dish to play with, much like any easy recipes. Here are a few suggestions to spice things up:
- No pine nuts available? Swap them out for almonds or walnuts.
- Use kale and spinach instead of lettuce to finish the meal, or omit the greens completely.
- Try substituting the basil pesto with kale pesto for a cold winter twist.
- Add some roasted or fresh cherry tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, or asparagus as a garnish to the finished dish.
- Add a handful of small mozzarella balls or a sprinkling of capers and stir.
- Change the spaghetti to your preferred noodle form or substitute it with spaghetti squash.
What’s your favorite way to eat Pasta with Pesto? Let me know in the comments!