Green Pesto Pasta Sun-Dried (Printable Version)

Pasta combined with fresh basil pesto and tangy sun-dried tomatoes for a quick flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or penne)
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Pesto

03 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
04 - 2 garlic cloves
05 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
06 - 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Extras

10 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained and sliced
11 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
12 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts for garnish
13 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - In a food processor or blender, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and lemon juice. Pulse until finely chopped. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - Toss hot drained pasta with pesto in a large mixing bowl. Add splash of reserved pasta water as needed for silky consistency.
04 - Gently fold sliced sun-dried tomatoes into pasta mixture.
05 - Plate immediately topped with extra Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between bright fresh pesto and chewy tangy sun-dried tomatoes makes every bite interesting
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian kitchen
02 -
  • Pesto oxidizes and darkens quickly, so make it right before you plan to toss with pasta for the brightest color
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon, the starch helps the oil-based pesto cling to every strand of noodles
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, its better to have it than try to thin sauce with regular water
  • Dont rinse the pasta after draining, that starch is what helps the pesto stick to every strand

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