Fresh Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe (Homemade, 20 Minutes)

Fresh pesto is one of the great arguments for owning a food processor. In the time it takes to boil pasta, a pile of basil leaves, a handful of pine nuts, a garlic clove and a chunk of Parmesan turn into a sauce that is vivid green, nutty, sharp and rich all at once. It makes the pesto in a jar taste like a different food.

The pasta part has one trick, and it is the same trick every Italian cook uses: the starchy water the pasta cooked in. A ladleful stirred into the pesto loosens it into a sauce that clings to the pasta instead of sliding off, and it makes the whole dish creamy without any cream. Do not pour it down the drain.

This is a twenty-minute dinner that works with almost any pasta shape and any protein you want to add, and the pesto itself keeps for a week or freezes for months.

Why this recipe works

• Toasting the pine nuts brings out their sweetness and deepens the flavor of the whole sauce.
• Blending the basil with the oil and nuts, and adding the cheese at the end, keeps the pesto bright green and prevents a gummy texture.
• Starchy pasta water emulsifies with the oil in the pesto to create a glossy sauce that coats every piece.
• Tossing off the heat keeps the basil fresh-tasting; cooked pesto turns dark and bitter.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Use fresh Genovese-type basil with small, tender leaves if you can find it; large-leaf basil is fine, but strip out the thick stems. Pine nuts are traditional and expensive; walnuts, almonds or pistachios all make excellent pesto for a fraction of the cost. Toast whichever nut you use.

Parmigiano-Reggiano gives the best flavor. Pecorino Romano is sharper and saltier; many Genoese recipes use a mix of the two. Grate the cheese yourself, since pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking starch that makes the pesto pasty. Use a good extra-virgin olive oil that tastes mild and fruity rather than peppery, since it is not cooked.

How to keep pesto bright green

Basil oxidizes and darkens quickly once it is cut. To slow this, blanch the leaves for 10 seconds in boiling water, plunge them into ice water, and squeeze dry before blending; this locks in the color for days. A simpler defense is to add the oil early so it coats the leaves, work quickly, and press plastic wrap or a thin layer of oil onto the surface of the stored pesto. A squeeze of lemon juice also helps and brightens the flavor.

The best pasta shapes for pesto

In Liguria, pesto is served with trofie or trenette, but any shape with texture or twists for the sauce to cling to is ideal: fusilli, gemelli, orecchiette, farfalle, casarecce. Long shapes like linguine and spaghetti work well too. Avoid smooth tube shapes like penne lisce, which shed the sauce. Whatever the shape, cook it in well-salted water until just al dente; it will soften a bit more in the sauce.

What to add to pesto pasta

• Halved cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella pearls, stirred in at the end.
• Grilled or rotisserie chicken, sliced.
• Shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil for 3 minutes.
• Green beans and cubed potatoes boiled with the pasta, the classic Ligurian way.
• Peas, asparagus or zucchini added to the pasta pot for the last 2 minutes.

How to store basil pesto pasta

• Pesto keeps in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week with a thin layer of olive oil pressed over the surface.
• Freeze pesto in an ice-cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a bag, for up to 6 months. Two cubes sauce one serving of pasta.
• Dressed pasta keeps refrigerated for 3 days; revive it with a splash of water and a drizzle of oil, and serve at room temperature or gently warmed.

Variations to try

• Walnut pesto: replace the pine nuts with toasted walnuts for a deeper, more affordable pesto.
• Creamy pesto pasta: stir 1/4 cup heavy cream or mascarpone into the pesto before tossing.
• Pesto with tomatoes and mozzarella: add 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes and 8 ounces mozzarella pearls.
• Vegan pesto: replace the Parmesan with 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast and add a pinch more salt.

Frequently asked questions

How much pesto do I need for a pound of pasta?

About 3/4 to 1 cup of pesto for 1 pound of pasta, thinned with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of starchy pasta water. This recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups, so you will have a little extra for the refrigerator.

Why does my pesto turn brown?

Basil oxidizes when it is cut and exposed to air. Work quickly, add the oil early, add a little lemon juice, and store pesto with oil or plastic wrap pressed on the surface. Blanching the basil for 10 seconds before blending keeps it bright green for days.

Do you heat pesto before adding it to pasta?

No. Add the pesto to the hot, drained pasta off the heat with a splash of pasta water. The heat of the pasta is enough to warm it, and cooking pesto in a pan turns it dark and bitter.

Can I make pesto without a food processor?

Yes. A blender works, adding the oil first so the blades can move. The traditional tool is a mortar and pestle: grind the garlic and salt to a paste, work in the nuts, then the basil a handful at a time, then the cheese and oil. It takes 10 minutes and makes a wonderfully creamy pesto.

Can I use a different nut?

Walnuts, almonds, cashews and pistachios all work well. Toast them first. For a nut-free pesto, use toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.