Description
A vibrant dish combining fresh basil, olive oil, parmesan, and pine nuts, tossed with your choice of pasta to create a delightful summer meal.
Ingredients
- Pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or whole wheat)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Toasted pine nuts
- Fresh garlic
- Lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a food processor, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan; pulse until coarsely chopped.
- With the motor running, gradually add olive oil until the desired consistency is reached; season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto, adding reserved pasta water if necessary for consistency.
- Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the pasta just before serving and toss well.
Notes
Feel free to add sautéed mushrooms or cherry tomatoes for extra flavor. Top with additional parmesan and cracked black pepper if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: pasta, pesto, basil, Italian, summer dish