This pasta al pesto recipe tastes exactly like something that you would order at a restaurant and it takes about 30 minutes to make it home, including making the fresh pesto. Admittedly even I sometimes forget how easy it is to make! Top it with your favorite protein or serve it with a side salad for a lighter meal any night of the week!
Pick your favorite traditional pesto recipe or use the one I’ve included in the recipe card for you (you’re welcome 😘). Having trouble finding pine nuts? Try my easy walnut pesto, using walnuts instead, or my sunflower seed pesto, which is a nut free alternative using cheap and easy to find sunflower seeds!
As the granddaughter of an Italian-American immigrant, I used to love hearing all about the Italian dishes my great-grandma would make. Of course, as they assimilated in the States, recipes changed through generations to become more “American,” (Lipton mix spaghetti— no thanks 😅). Nowadays I tend to gravitate towards recreating classic Italian dishes that speak to my roots pre-depression-era cooking. Linguini al pesto is one of those timeless Italian pasta dishes that uses fresh ingredients for full-on flavor.
It pairs al dente pasta with classic basil pesto genovese to make an easy weeknight diner the whole family will love. Planning a party? It’s also an easy dish to throw together for a quick Italian alfresco dinner party. The best part is that this recipe looks stunning even when served straight from the cooking pot!
why this pesto pasta recipe works:
🌿 bright & fresh. Using fresh basil pesto to coat pasta creates a light, flavorful, and creamy texture without being too heavy. It’s the perfect spring or summer meal when basil is bountiful!
🙌 quick & easy. All together this meal can be made in under 30 minutes, including making the pesto! It’s a wonderful addition to your weekly meal rotation!
🤌restaurant quality at home. I’ve seen pasta dishes go for over $22 a plate in restaurants, but this recipe can be made multiple times for that price! Once you learn how to make pesto at home, you won’t look back!
🛒 ingredients
optional extras
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Boil a large pot of water and add a generous amount of salt, about 1 tbsp.
2: Boil your pasta to al dente which should be noted on the package instructions of your noodles. Reserve up to a cup of pasta water before straining.
3: Drain the pasta in a colander or strainer do not rinse it. Do not rinse it. You wash off starch that will help the sauce cling to the pasta. Return it to the pot.
4: Add the pesto on top of the pasta. Give it a gentle stir adding a quarter cup of pasta water at a time until things start to come together.
5: Add more pasta water if needed to start everything together.
6: When serving you can garnish with a few fresh basil leaves and a light dusting of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, of course!
Hint: Grab a liiiittle more pasta water from the pot than you think you’ll need. It’s always better to have a little extra water to add in, especially if you have leftovers to reheat.
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ how to serve your pesto pasta
- top your pasta – you can top your pasta with fresh shredded parmesan cheese or crunchy Italian breadcrumbs! I love adding both for a pop of flavor and texture. You can also zest lemon on top for a bright blast of lemon flavor!
- pair with drinks– complement this pasta with classic Italian spritz cocktails like a zingy limoncello cocktail, a bold Aperol spritz, or a light Hugo spritz cocktail. Of course you can also use mocktails like a sparkling Italian lemonade, or a non-alcoholic espresso martini for something more bold.
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- not enough flavor – salting the water is a must. It helps to flavor the pasta and also adds flavor to the starchy pasta water, which we will be using to help thicken up the sauce. This adds flavor to the pasta and the sauce!
- too watery – make sure you use reserved pasta water to bring this sauce together instead of regular water. Starches in the pasta water helps to bind the sauce to the noodles in a velvety sauce. If you accidentally add too much water, allow it to sit on low heat for a few moments until it thickens up again.
🔆 top tip
A lot of folks out there tell you to use extra-virgin olive oil in your pasta water, but avoid doing this. There’s already plenty of oil in the pesto sauce, and any extra could prevent the sauce from adequately sticking to your noodles.
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♻️ customize your pesto pasta
- use a different noodle – you can substitute linguini for spaghetti, fettuccine, or other types of pasta and you’ll keep the same fresh flavor of this dish. I’ve made this using different pasta shapes like rotini and farfalle, too!
- add veggies – if you want a heartier pasta, you can slice a handful of cherry tomatoes, pan fried green beans, or roasted broccoli to your bowls of pasta.
- add protein – I love pairing this pasta with proteins like meatballs, roasted chicken, or sliced Italian sausage for a more complete meal.
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 how to store leftover pasta al pesto
Contrary to popular belief, pasta can save well, just make sure to add a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water to the airtight container you’re stashing your leftover pasta in, and don’t plan to store more than a day or two.
When you’re reheating the pasta, the water helps to recombine everything. Also keep in mind the pasta will cook a little more, so it won’t be as al dente as the first time you eat it.
Don’t be alarmed if your basil discolors a bit and turns brown; this is because of the basil leaves oxidizing, and it won’t greatly impact the flavor within 24 hours. If you want to keep the bright green color of your homemade pesto sauce, be sure to blanch your basil before making pesto!
💬 q+a
Why is my basil turning brown?
Unless you’ve blanched your basil, it will oxidize when it’s exposed to air, which means it’ll darken in color a bit. While it’s not the prettiest thing to look at, as long as you eat it within 24 hours, the flavor won’t be impacted too much.
Should I heat up pesto sauce before adding to pasta?
Nope! The warm pasta is enough to bring the pesto to the right temperature. If you are using pesto straight from the fridge, allow it to get sit out on the counter while you’re cooking the pasta to take off the chill from the fridge.
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Pasta al Pesto (Linguini with Basil Pesto Sauce)
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Equipment
- 1 large pot for boiling pasta
- 1 food processor for making pesto
- 1 spatula or tongs, for stirring and serving
- 1 serving bowl optional
Ingredients
TO MAKE THE PESTO
- 40 g pine nuts lightly toasted, 1/3 cup
- 65 g fresh basil leaves lightly packed, 3 cups
- 50 g parmesan cheese freshly grated or crumbled, 1/3 cup
- 8 g garlic 2 small cloves, peeled
- 25 g olive oil extra virgin, 1/4 cup
- salt and pepper to taste
TO MAKE THE PASTA
- 1 cup pesto from above recipe
- 454 g linguini 1 pound
- ½ cup pasta water reserved
Instructions
TO MAKE THE PESTO
- Toast pine nuts. In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast pine nuts until fragrant and golden, about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Let cool.40 g pine nuts
- Process garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan. In a food processor, combine cooled pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Pulse until finely chopped.40 g pine nuts, 50 g parmesan cheese, 8 g garlic
- Add basil. Add basil leaves and pulse until roughly chopped.65 g fresh basil leaves
- Stream in oil. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth and well combined.25 g olive oil
- Season. Season with salt and pepper to taste.salt and pepper
FOR THE PASTA
- Boil pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 9-10 minutes or according to packing instructions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.454 g linguini
- Combine pasta & pesto. Add the hot drained pasta back to the pasta pot or into a serving dish. Add the pesto sauce. Toss well to combine.1 cup pesto
- Add pasta water to thicken. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach desired creamy consistency.1/2 cup pasta water
- Season to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon zest or parmesan as desired.
Notes
troubleshooting tips
- don’t overboil – not sure if your pasta is done? Pull a noodle from the pot and give it a taste. If it’s too hard, it’s not ready yet. It should have a nice springy chew to it, but not be crunchy, chunky, or gritty to bite.
- not enough flavor – salting the water is a must. It helps to flavor the pasta and also adds flavor to the starchy pasta water, which we will be using to help thicken up the sauce. This adds flavor to the pasta and the sauce!
- too watery – make sure you use reserved pasta water to bring this sauce together instead of regular water. Starches in the pasta water helps to bind the sauce to the noodles in a velvety sauce. If you accidentally add too much water, allow it to sit on low heat for a few moments until it thickens up again.
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
Five stars I love this recipe! Quick and easy for me to make for my busy family. Thanks for another great recipe
I’m so happy to hear this recipe worked well for you, Jan! It is the perfect weeknight meal, especially during basil season right?! Thanks for your rating and review! 🥰