Pesto Pasta

Comforting pasta classic.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Fresh, herbaceous, vibrant green.
• 15 minutes start to finish.
• Pesto makes 3x what you need — bonus jar for the week.
• Crowd favorite for kids and adults.
• Way better than jarred pesto.

Ingredient Notes

• Genovese basil is sweetest; Thai basil is too licorice-heavy.
• Toasted pine nuts add depth; raw are flat.
• Real parmesan, grated fresh.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Walnuts, almonds, or pistachios in place of pine nuts.
• Spinach or arugula partly subbed for basil.
• Pecorino in place of parmesan.

Equipment Needed

• Food processor or large mortar
• Large pasta pot
• Tongs

Prep Tips

• Wash and dry basil well — wet basil dilutes the pesto.
• Make pesto first, then cook pasta.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 12 oz pasta, 1 pesto, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, minced. mince the garlic, and grate the parmesan before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Cook pasta. Taste and adjust salt; serve immediately while the sauce is glossy and hot.

3. 3

   Toss with pesto, oil, parmesan.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Add pesto off heat to keep basil vibrant green.
• Pulse basil briefly — over-processing turns it brown.
• Pasta water is the silkiness secret.

Common Mistakes

• Adding pesto over high heat — kills color and flavor.
• Skipping the pine-nut toast.
• Overblending into a paste.

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