Spaghetti al Pesto
This Spaghetti al Pesto is ready in less than 15 minutes with just a few main ingredients. This easy weeknight dinner has a homemade pesto sauce, so flavorful, you'll never need to buy another jar again!
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Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound spaghetti
- salt for boiling water
Additional Toppings
- additional grated parmesan cheese
- extra basil leaves
- cherry tomatoes halved
- grilled chicken
- baked salmon
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, pine nuts (or walnuts), and peeled garlic cloves. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
- With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until the mixture becomes a smooth and creamy pesto sauce. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
- Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste. Pulse a few more times to incorporate the seasoning.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti (or your chosen pasta) according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Add 1/3 cup pesto from food processor to cooked pasta and stir to well combine. Add 2 tablespoons of pasta water to spaghetti and stir. Add more to make it a more smooth and creamy consistency.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!