Green Pesto Pasta Tomatoes (Print Version)
Vibrant pasta featuring basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, perfect for a quick, flavorful dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried pasta (penne or fusilli)
02 - Salt, for boiling water
→ Fresh Basil Pesto
03 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
04 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
05 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 garlic cloves
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
→ Add-ins and Garnish
10 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
11 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
12 - 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts, for garnish (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining thoroughly.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down sides periodically. Season to preference.
03 - Transfer hot pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add pesto and toss vigorously, incorporating reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky, evenly coated sauce.
04 - Gently fold sliced sun-dried tomatoes into the pasta mixture, being careful not to break the pasta shapes.
05 - Plate immediately while hot. Top with additional grated Parmesan and toasted pine nuts if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade pesto tastes infinitely brighter than anything from a jar, and you can adjust the garlic to your exact preference
- Those chewy sun-dried tomatoes add this incredible sweet-tangy punch that makes regular pasta feel special
02 -
- That pasta water you save is liquid gold, the starch in it helps the pesto cling to every strand instead of sliding off
- If you make the pesto ahead of time, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to keep it from turning brown
03 -
- If your pesto tastes too bitter, try blanching the basil leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds, then shocking them in ice water before processing
- A tiny pinch of sugar in the pesto can help balance the bitterness of basil and the sharpness of garlic