Description
A vibrant, 15-minute pesto pasta dish using homemade or store-bought pesto. The starchy pasta water creates a velvety sauce without cream, perfect for a healthy, customizable meal.
Ingredients
1 lb (16 oz) pasta (spaghetti, penne, or fusilli)
1/2 cup pesto (basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
Boil 4-5 quarts water with 1 tbsp salt. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes until al dente.
Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta water before draining pasta.
Add pesto and 2 tbsp olive oil to still-warm pasta, tossing to coat.
Stir in 1/4 cup pasta water, tossing until sauce becomes glossy and emulsified.
Plate and top with extra pesto, parmesan, and black pepper.
Notes
Use gluten-free pasta if needed
Freshly grated parmesan prevents clumping
Add 1-2 tbsp more pasta water if sauce thickens too much
Substitute vegan parmesan and omit pine nuts for nut-free version
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (250g)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 30mg