You can make it with a classic basil pesto or experiment with arugula, zucchini, and roasted peppers. We’ll show you how to make it! Check out our best pasta recipe collection!
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Serving suggestions
Tips
Questions
More Pasta Ideas
The most popular and traditional pesto is one made with basil. It’s called pesto alla Genovese because it originated in the city of Genova in the northwestern region of Liguria in Italy. We’ll show you how to make a quick and easy basil pesto pasta as they do it in Italy, and we’ll also show you how to make one without dairy. Also, basil isn’t the only herb you can turn into a delicious pesto. We’ll show you plenty of variations for making a bright, colorful, and tasty homemade pesto with plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables. Let’s get cooking!
Pesto
You can make this creamy pesto pasta with any pesto. Italian pasta al pesto is made with homemade basil pesto, but you can also use a store-bought pesto, although the flavor is different. To make our dairy-free homemade pesto, you’ll need the following:
Fresh basil leaves Almonds Pine nuts Nutritional yeast Salt Water Extra virgin olive oil
To make authentic Italian basil pesto, you’ll need the following:
Fresh basil leaves Extra virgin olive oil Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano reggiano or Grana padano) Pecorino Sardo or Romano Garlic Pine nuts Sea salt
You can find both recipes in our guide on how to make the best basil pesto. However, if you feel like trying something new, you can try our zucchini pesto, kale pesto, parsley pesto, artichoke pesto, arugula pesto, spinach pesto, red pepper pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, and chestnut pesto. Yep, we are big homemade pesto fans in our family 🙂
Optional ingredients
Traditional pasta al pesto from Genova in Italy (the home of basil pesto) is with added boiled potatoes and green beans. We think green beans and potatoes are delicious with pasta, so we’ll show you how to add them. If you prefer leaving them out, don’t worry because this pesto pasta is delicious, nevertheless. When the pasta is almost ready, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Add half the water to a bowl, let it cool down for a minute, then add the pesto and stir until it turns into a creamy pesto sauce. Tip: Basil pesto doesn’t react well to direct heat, so we don’t want to heat it on a pan. Warming it up with warm reserved pasta water is the best way to make it creamy without ruining its color and flavor. Drain the pasta and toss it in the bowl with the pesto. Add more reserved pasta water if necessary to reach your desired creaminess. The pasta should be saucy and creamy and not dry. You can also add more pesto if you want a richer pasta dish. Serve immediately; garnish with extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil leaves, and optionally with some grated parmesan or non-dairy parmesan. Here’s our recipe for homemade trofie pasta.
Italian pasta al pesto
Add boiled potatoes and green beans to the pesto pasta to turn it into delicious Italian pasta al pesto, just like they make it in Genova. This has become our favorite pasta pesto recipe, and we always make it. The green beans add a delicious crunch, the potatoes add creaminess, and both meld perfectly with the pesto. To make it, you can boil the potatoes and the beans in the same water you cook the pasta. Remember that bite-sized potato take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook, and the green beans only need about 8 minutes.
Pesto pasta salad
Have you ever tried a cold pesto pasta salad? Pesto pasta is delicious and served at room temperature, and you can add cherry tomatoes, asparagus, arugula, olives, and pine nuts to make it even more delicious. Here’s our recipe for a tasty pesto pasta salad.
Tomato salad (red onion, heirloom tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, etc.) Carrot salad (carrots, parsley, mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, etc.) Zucchini salad (cherry tomatoes, zucchini, lemon juice, mint, basil, garlic, etc.) Avocado salad (cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, parsley, red onion, etc.) Arugula salad (parmesan cheese or dairy-free cheese, arugula, lemon)
Add your choice of vegetables with one of these pasta topping ideas:
Carrot Salad
Avocado Salad
Tomato Salad
Zucchini Salad
Confit tomatoes (garlic, oregano, olive oil, sugar, cherry tomatoes, etc.) Sauteed mushrooms (mushrooms, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic.) Sauteed zucchini (red onion, zucchini, salt, lemon juice, parsley, etc.) Air fryer zucchini (zucchini, paprika, garlic powder, olive oil, etc.) Roasted eggplant (garlic, eggplant, parsley, olive oil, etc.)
How to cook pasta?
You’ll need a large pot of salted water as follows:
8 ounces of pasta (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people. 12 ounces of pasta (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people. 1 pound of pasta (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.
How much pasta per person?
Guidelines recommend 2.1 to 3.5 ounces or 60 to 100 grams of pasta per person, depending on your calorie needs. Pasta portion sizes vary if you have pasta as a main and only meal or if it’s part of a 2 – 3 course menu. Also, remember that a simple pasta with tomato and basil will have substantially different calories and macros than baked ziti with cheese and meat. Here’s a simple summary:
3.5 ounces (100 grams) per person if the main meal; 2.8/3 ounces (80/90 grams) per person if part of a 2 – 3 course meal; 2/2.5 ounces (60/70 grams) per person if part of a 3+ course meal.
How much pesto per person?
You can add 2 to 4 tablespoons of pesto per portion of pasta (2.1 to 3.5 ounces or 60 to 100 grams), depending on your taste and diet. Refrigerator: store leftovers in the fridge for a day. You can reheat it in the microwave, however it’ll turn dark if you do so. You can also enjoy the leftover cold or at room temperature. Freezer: pesto pasta is not suitable for freezing.
More Pesto Recipes
Get more sauce ideas from these easy and veggie-packed pesto recipes:
Artichoke pesto (garlic, almonds, pine nuts, jarred artichokes, fresh basil, salt, etc.) Sun-dried tomato pesto (sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, olive oil, nutritional yeast, etc.) Red pepper pesto (jarred bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, etc.) Spinach pesto (tofu, almonds, nutritional yeast, garlic, spinach, olive oil, etc.)
Spinach Pesto
Red Pepper Pesto
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Artichoke Pesto
Hummus pasta (homemade or store-bought hummus, sauteed mushrooms, spaghetti, etc.) Pasta Puttanesca (canned tomatoes, olives, garlic, capers, parsley, olive oil, etc.) Broccoli pasta (orecchiette pasta, red pepper flakes, broccoli, parmesan, etc.) Pasta Pomodoro (canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, spaghetti, etc.) Spaghetti aglio e olio (parsley, spaghetti, red pepper flakes, garlic, etc.)
For many more pasta ideas, check out our pasta category page.
Hummus Pasta
Pasta Puttanesca
Broccoli Pasta
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Apple Crumble
25 Apple recipes
Vegan Cornbread
Lentil Loaf
title: “Pesto Pasta” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-28” author: “Lena Rodriquez”
Why You’ll Love It
It’s comforting. Pasta is the ultimate comfort food, right? And when you add your favorite pesto sauce and veggies, you’ll get a little bit of everything in each bite. It’s easy. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, and while you wait for the pasta to cook, you can whip up the pesto in a blender or food processor. It doesn’t get much more time efficient than that! It’s delicious. I’m partial to using a homemade pesto here, so you can totally control the flavor. You don’t always know what you’re going to get with a store-bought pesto, but a homemade pesto will always have the perfect amount of lemon juice, garlic, and salt, since you can taste it as you go. It’s flexible. If you follow a special diet, like gluten-free or dairy-free, this recipe is easy to adjust. I love using chickpea noodles, which are naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and a good source of plant based protein, but you can use any other pasta you have on hand. (As long as you keep the general ratios the same.) If you need a dairy-free pesto, I’ve got you covered with my favorite vegan pesto recipe, and if you need a nut-free recipe, try my broccoli pesto.
Need an oil-free dish? Use water instead of oil to saute the veggies, and try my Zucchini Pesto recipe, which is oil-free.
How to Make It
Feel free to add any other protein you like to this dish, such as Air Fryer Chicken or Crispy Baked Tofu, to make it extra filling.
Variations
The type of pesto and veggies you use will determine the overall flavor of this dish. Here are some ideas to try, if you want to switch things up!
Kale Pesto with roasted red peppers & caramelized onions Avocado Pesto with sauteed spinach & garlic Arugula Pesto with sun-dried tomatoes & sauteed mushrooms
I’d love to hear any other combinations you try, too!
If you try this Pesto Pasta recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know what you think!
