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Pesto Pasta
Pesto pasta is a quick and easy pasta dish that comes together with just a few ingredients! It's fresh and flavorful!
Prep Time
10
minutes
mins
Cook Time
8
minutes
mins
Total Time
18
minutes
mins
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American, Italian
Servings:
6
Author:
Julie Blanner
Ingredients
1
pound
pasta
2
cups
basil
fresh, stems removed
2
tablespoons
pine nuts
1
tablespoon
minced garlic
½
cup
olive oil
⅛
teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes
¼
cup
parmesan cheese
freshly grated
salt and pepper
to taste
Instructions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare pasta al dente.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and red pepper. Pulse.
Reserving 1 cup of pasta water, drain pasta.
Toss with pesto, adding pasta water, if desired to thin sauce.
Garish with parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
Substitutions
Store Bought Pesto
- Replace basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil with store bought pesto.
Pine Nuts
- No pine nuts? No problem. Walnuts make a great substitute.
Minced Garlic
- I use store bought minced garlic, but you can replace with 2 garlic cloves.
Parmesan
- You can substitute with grana padano or asiago. Even goat cheese offers nice flavor.
Variations
Add a squeeze of lemon juice or zest over the top of the dish.
Add cherry tomatoes.
Nutrition
Calories:
482
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
58
g
|
Protein:
12
g
|
Fat:
23
g
|
Saturated Fat:
4
g
|
Cholesterol:
3
mg
|
Sodium:
73
mg
|
Potassium:
212
mg
|
Fiber:
3
g
|
Sugar:
2
g
|
Vitamin A:
467
IU
|
Vitamin C:
2
mg
|
Calcium:
82
mg
|
Iron:
2
mg