Italian food has a worldwide fanbase. Pasta is loved in Italian food and people all over the world play with different sauces and styles to make their pasta recipes yummier than ever. Today, we will give you our secret magical recipe for Basil Pesto pasta and how to make pesto sauce recipe for pasta.
Basil pesto pasta is a classic Italian dish which is simple to make and yummy to eat. The recipe contains ingredients like fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil to create a rich and aromatic pesto sauce. This sauce pairs perfectly with pasta. So grab your knives and get set go to make the yummiest pasta of your life!
Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe
For the Basil pesto pasta recipe, you will need
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
Basil leaves provide the sauce with its vibrant green colour and distinct flavour
- 3 cloves garlic
Add a pungent and aromatic kick to the sauce.
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
Provides nuttiness and texture to the sauce. You can also walnuts or almonds.
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Adds a salty and savoury flavour to the sauce. It also contributes to its creamy texture.
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Binds the ingredients together and provides richness and smoothness to the sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Enhance the flavours of the other ingredients.
- 12 ounces of your favourite pasta of any kind.
Step-by-Step Pesto Sauce Recipe For Pasta
- Wash the fresh basil leaves under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- In a food processor, combine the basil leaves, garlic cloves, and pine nuts. Chop the ingredients finely.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor. Chop again until everything is well combined.
- Mix the olive oil in the food processor while chopping the ingredients. Keep mixing until it turns into a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If the pesto sauce is too thick, add more olive oil. Mix a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Set the pesto sauce aside.
Cooking The Pasta
- Boil water over high heat.
- Mix some salt in water.
- Add pasta and let it cook until it gets soft. Usually, it takes 8-10 minutes.
- Drain the water but keep 1/2 of water for further use.
Combining Pasta With Sauce
- Put pasta in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the prepared basil pesto sauce over the pasta.
- If the pesto seems too thick, use a bit of reserved pasta cooking water.
- Use tongs or a pasta fork to toss the pasta and pesto together until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Serve the basil pesto pasta immediately, while it’s still warm.
Tips To Make Your Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe Perfect
- If you like a more nuttier flavour, roast the pine nuts in a dry frypan. Use medium heat. When slightly roasted, add them to a food processor.
- If you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend the pesto sauce for a longer period in the food processor.
- Customize the recipe by adding cooked chicken, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, or roasted vegetables to the pasta for extra protein and nutrients.
- Leftover pesto sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for future use.
How Can You Bring Variation To Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe?
- To make the dish more creamy add heavy cream to the pesto sauce when mixing it with the cooked pasta. The creaminess adds a texture to the dish.
- Play with a classic basil pesto recipe by using chopped sun-dried tomatoes in the sauce. Their intense flavour adds flavour to the dish and complements the freshness of the basil.
- If you’re a veggie person, blend fresh spinach leaves along with the basil. This creates a very nutritious spinach basil pesto while maintaining the bright green colour of the sauce.
- You can simply substitute parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour.
How Long Can You Store Basil Pesto Pasta?
- Leftover basil pesto pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When reheating, add a splash of water or broth to the pasta to prevent it from drying out.
- If you are freezing the pasta, it’s best to freeze the pesto sauce separately from the cooked pasta. Portion the sauce into ice cube trays or small freezer bags. This helps in easy thawing and you can use frozen sauce within three months.
- Cover the pesto sauce with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation. You can refrigerate it for up to one week.
What is the Ratio of Pesto Sauce to Pasta?
The ratio of pesto sauce to pasta can vary based on personal preference. You can use about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of pesto sauce for every 12 ounces (about 340 grams) of cooked pasta. However, you can adjust this ratio according to how saucy you like your pasta dishes.
What Pasta Goes Well with Pesto?
- Several types of pasta pair wonderfully with pesto sauce, including
- Spaghetti’s long strands allow the sauce to coat the pasta evenly.
- Linguine is similar to spaghetti but with a slightly flattened shape. It provides a great base for holding the pesto sauce.
- Short, tube-shaped penne pasta works well as the nooks and crannies help trap the sauce.
- The unique shape of the farfalle pasta adds visual interest to the dish.
- Spiral-shaped fusilli pasta captures the pesto sauce beautifully. It ensures each bite is packed with flavour.