Lemon Parsley Pesto Pasta
Easy Pesto to whip up - just lots of fresh parsley, lemon, pine nuts, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Serve with hot or cold pasta, spoon over chicken or fish, the options are endless.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Lemon Parsley Pesto
- 2 1/2 cups packed parsley leaves (about 2 ounces. I got mine from two bunches)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted. See recipe note)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pasta
- 1 lb farfalle pasta (or short pasta of your choice)
- toasted pine nuts (optional. Extra to sprinkle on top)
- grated Parmesan cheese (optional. Extra to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, add all Pesto ingredients except the olive oil. Pulse a few times to chop. Then, with the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil and blend until the pesto is thick and combined. Transfer the pesto to a bowl or container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water just before draining. Drain the pasta.
- Toss the pasta with the pesto. You can add some of the pasta water if needed to thin out the pesto. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, sprinkle some extra toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
Makes 1 cup of pesto. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To toast pine nuts: Place pine nuts in a small to medium dry skillet over medium high heat. Toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Watch them closely as they go from toasted to burnt very quickly. When done, immediately remove from heat and remove from the hot skillet. The pine nuts can be toasted in advance and stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 211.1 mg
- Fat: 32.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.6 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 14.5 g
- Cholesterol: 3.2 mg
Find it online: https://kathleenscravings.com/easy-lemon-parsley-pesto-pasta/