Green Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Print Version)
A vibrant Italian pasta dish with fresh basil pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, ready in just 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
02 - Salt for pasta water
→ Green Pesto
03 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
04 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
06 - 2 garlic cloves, peeled
07 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Additions
09 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
10 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan for serving
11 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional
# How to Cook:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Pulse until finely chopped.
03 - With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the olive oil until a smooth, thick paste forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the pesto and toss to coat thoroughly, adding splashes of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce to desired consistency.
05 - Gently fold in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes, distributing them evenly throughout the pasta.
06 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Top each portion with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the time it takes your water to boil, perfect for those evenings when cooking feels like too much effort but takeout isnt calling your name.
- Those little bursts of chewy, sweet sun dried tomatoes create perfect contrast against the herby pesto, making every bite slightly different from the last.
02 -
- Never add pesto to hot pasta in the pot it just came out of, the residual heat will turn your vibrant green sauce into a dull olive color.
- Saving a few tablespoons of the sun dried tomato oil to mix with your olive oil gives the pesto an incredible depth of flavor I discovered completely by accident.
03 -
- Blanch your basil for 5 seconds in boiling water, then shock in ice water before making pesto if you want it to maintain that vibrant green color for days.
- Warm your serving bowl in the oven at the lowest setting before adding the finished pasta, keeping everything at the perfect temperature until the last bite.