Free recipe
Basil Pesto Spaghetti
Built around dried spaghetti and basil leaves -- the method starts by fill a large pot with water.
Silky strands tangled in a glossy sauce -- a weeknight bowl that eats like a trattoria classic. Here it's built on dried spaghetti, basil leaves and pine nuts -- a medium, Italian recipe that starts by fill a large pot with water, and is ready in roughly 40 minutes.
A 40-minute cook time that's mostly hands-off simmering or roasting.
A few technique steps to focus on, but nothing that needs special equipment.
Built around dried spaghetti, so the flavor comes from real ingredients, not a spice packet.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) dried spaghetti
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (keeps the pesto green)
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Nutrition (estimated, per serving)
Calculated from this recipe's own ingredient list; treat as an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Method
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Salting the water seasons the pasta from the inside.
While it heats, toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking often, until light gold and nutty-smelling. Watch closely - they burn fast. Tip onto a plate to cool.
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water, stir once so it does not stick, and cook for the packet time (usually 9-11 minutes) until al dente - tender with a slight bite.
Meanwhile make the pesto: put the basil, cooled pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a blender or food processor.
Pour in the olive oil and blend in short bursts, scraping down the sides, until you have a slightly coarse green sauce. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
Just before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
Drain the spaghetti and return it to the warm pot OFF the heat, so the pesto stays fresh and bright green.
Add the pesto and 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss well with tongs until every strand is coated, adding a splash more water if it looks dry.
Serve right away in warm bowls with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Add the pesto and 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.
