Lemon Pesto Pasta
Lemon Pesto Pasta, a simple pasta recipe with fresh pesto sauce, lemon zest, and lemon juice that’s great served warm or cold. An herby pasta with a citrus kick!
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 large pot
- 1 citrus zester
- 1 citrus juicer
Ingredients
For Lemon Pesto Pesto Sauce
- 2 cups fresh basil
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup pine nuts or pumpkin seeds if nut-free
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast if vegan
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
For Pasta
- 16 ounces pasta (rotini, fusilli, penne)
- 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Prepare lemon pesto sauce: Toss cleaned and dried basil in a food processor with lemon zest and lemon juice. Next, add nuts (or seeds) and garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped, slowly drizzling in olive oil until the chopped ingredients are well coated in oil but still chunky. Finish by adding in the cheese (or nutritional yeast), salt, and pepper. Give the pesto a taste and add more seasonings until it's flavored to your liking.2 cups fresh basil, 2 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/3 cup pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- Boil pasta: Bring a large pot of water and a generous pinch of salt to a boil. Add desired pasta and cook to al dente (or semi-firm) according to package instructions. Typically this means 8-10 minutes, depending on the pasta shape you choose (thicker pasta shapes require more time). When pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and then drain pasta and set aside.16 ounces pasta, 1 tablespoon salt
- Prepare pesto pasta: In a large pan over medium-low heat, add pesto to pan with a small amount of reserved pasta water and heat for 1 minute. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat it in pesto. Remove from heat and plate, then serve.
Notes
Prep Ahead: Prepare the lemon pesto sauce up to four days ahead of time.
Leftovers and storage: Store leftover pesto pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing not recommended. To reheat, cook for 5 minutes in a pan on the stove or 2 minutes in the microwave.
Nut-free option: If you cannot eat nuts and are looking to make a nut-free pesto, I suggest using seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. You can also use beans or even chickpeas.
Vegan option: If you are vegan, use either vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast in place of cheese. Use gluten-free pasta, if needed.
Nutrition notes: Nutrition information is an estimate using all listed ingredients, except additional salt for pasta water (the amount of salt absorbed in minimal compared to the amount used). This recipe uses all plant-based ingredients and can be made with gluten free pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 382kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 6gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 745mgPotassium: 467mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1195IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 2mg
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