This {20 Minute} Easy Pesto Pasta is a simple dish that can be whipped up on a busy weeknight with very little effort! Choose your favorite type of pasta, and mix it in with a cheesy, nutty, herb-filled pesto sauce.
All you need to make this homemade pesto pasta is a few simple ingredients, a food processor and some cooked noodles! That’s it!
And just look at that beautiful green color! If you’re looking for a meal that’s EASY, filling and filled with fresh flavors, you’ve definitely come to the right place.
WHY WE LOVE THIS Pesto Pasta Recipe:
- It’s quick and easy! All you need is a food processor and a few simple ingredients. Just boil your pasta, blend together the sauce, and mix it all together. Voila!
- It’s a perfect weeknight meal. You’ll look and feel fancy when you whip up a dish that tastes like it’s from a restaurant but made right in your kitchen, and in just 20 minutes. What could be better?! You may even get an applause… 😉
- It’s healthy, with simple ingredients like fresh basil and arugula. And if you want to make it even healthier, you can omit the oil. Or even enjoy the sauce over Roasted Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta noodles.
- It’s easy to store and keep for leftovers for a couple days.
- It’s versatile! Enjoy this dish warm or cold. It’s good either way!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Ingredients Notes:
- Orecchiette pasta– this little ear-shaped pasta is fun to eat, but if you can’t find it, honestly any pasta noodle will do, especially bite-sized noodles like penne, macaroni, cavatappi, or even angel hair. Or just use whatever you have on hand.
- Pine nuts– Use toasted pine nuts for this recipe. You can buy them pre-toasted, or toast them yourself. There are a few ways to do this, but we recommend heating them in a dry sauté pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. They cook quick so as soon as they start to brown, be sure to remove them from the pan.
- Basil– Fresh basil is always best. This recipe won’t work with dried basil so make sure you have fresh.
- Olive Oil– If you are oil-free, feel free to omit the oil. You’ll hardly miss it!
- Baby Arugula– Baby arugula (as opposed to regular arugula) has a slightly more delicate flavor. While the preference is the baby version, either one will work for this recipe.
STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Boil the pasta.
In a large pot, boil the noodles in salted water according to the instructions on the package, to al dente. Drain completely and set aside in a large bowl.
2. Add Dry Ingredients:
In a food processor, add the pine nuts, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Process until blended into very fine pieces.
3. Add Remaining Ingredients:
3. Add the arugula, basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and unsweetened almond milk/water. Blend until smooth.
Note: you may need to stop blending and scrape down the sides with a spatula and re-blend to make sure all ingredients are blended thoroughly.
4. Combine the pesto with the pasta:
Add the pesto to pasta and stir gently to combine. Note: if not serving immediately, you may want to store the sauce and noodles separate until serving. See ‘Storage Instructions’ below.
If desired, top with additional toppings such as fresh cherry tomatoes, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or additional sea salt, black pepper or nutritional yeast, to taste.
Storage Instructions:
It’s recommended to serve this pasta immediately. Or, you can store the sauce and pasta noodles separately in the fridge, in airtight containers, for up to a few days.
If you do combine the sauce and pasta and need to store it for later, it may lose a little flavor as it sits (as the sauce soaks into the noodles). But honestly, it’s still good either way!
And you can easily spruce up your leftovers by adding a dash of sea salt, cayenne, or a bit of lemon juice before serving.
Expert Tips & FAQ’s:
Toasting release and intensifies the flavor of pine nuts, so it is recommended to use toasted. You can either buy them pre-toasted, OR toast them yourself by cooking them in a dry sauté pan over medium heat for a 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. They cook quick so as soon as they start to brown, remove them from the pan.
If you don’t have pine nuts on hand, you can replace with raw cashews, almonds, walnuts or even hazelnuts. It will change the flavor slightly.
Love Pasta? Try one of these Related Recipes:
- Avocado Pasta with Herbs
- Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Sauce
- Pistachio Pesto Pasta
- Rainbow Pasta Salad
- Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta
- Spicy Jalapeño Pasta Salad
If you try this Easy Pesto Pasta, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your photo with #veggie__chick on Instagram. We love to see our recipes being made in YOUR kitchen!
Easy Pesto Pasta
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces Orecchiette (or corkscrew) pasta - gluten-free if desired
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups packed baby arugula (or regular arugula)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil - optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or water
Additional Toppings (optional):
- cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
- sliced cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the pasta noodles in salted water according to instructions on package, to al dente. Drain completely and set aside in a large bowl.
- In a food processor, add the pine nuts, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Process until blended into very fine pieces.
- Add the arugula, basil, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and unsweetened almond milk/water. Blend until smooth. You may need to stop blending and scrape down the sides with a spatula and re-blend, to make sure all ingredients are blended thoroughly.
- Add pesto to pasta and stir gently to combine. Note: if not serving immediately, you may want to store the sauce and noodles separate until serving. See "Storage Instructions" below.
- If desired, top with additional toppings such as fresh cherry tomatoes, cayenne pepper, or additional sea salt, black pepper or nutritional yeast, to taste.
Storage Instructions:
- It's recommended to serve this pasta immediately. Or, you can store the sauce and pasta noodles separately in the fridge, in airtight containers, for up to a few days. If you do combine the sauce and pasta and need to store it for later, it may lose a little flavor as it sits (as the sauce soaks into the noodles). But honestly, it's still good either way! And you can easily spruce up your leftovers by adding a dash of sea salt, cayenne, or a bit of lemon juice before serving.
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes 1 cup sauce. Mixed in with 8 ounces of cooked orecchiette, it makes about 3 cups total. The serving size may vary slightly with different pasta noodles. Double the recipe for a crowd.
- Orecchiette pasta are the noodles seen in the photos above. If you can’t find it, any pasta noodle will do, especially bite-sized noodles like penne, macaroni, cavatappi, or even angel hair.
- Use toasted pine nuts for this recipe. You can buy them pre-toasted, or toast them yourself by heating them in a dry sauté pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. They cook quick so as soon as they start to brown, remove them from the pan. If you don’t have pine nuts on hand, you can replace with raw cashews, almonds, walnuts or even hazelnuts. It will change the flavor slightly.
- Fresh basil is always best. This recipe won’t work with dried basil so make sure you have fresh.
- If you are oil-free, feel free to omit the oil. You’ll hardly miss it!
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in November 2014, but was republished in July of 2020 with updated ingredients, new photos, tips and FAQs.
Zachary says
Did this recipe change? I remember one from a few years back that included grape tomatoes and walnuts? Sure this is great too and I love your recipes!
Thank you,
Zachary
Christin McKamey says
Hi Zach, no I don’t believe so! This one has stayed the same. =) So glad you love the recipes!!! =)
Robert says
This is amazing and so easy. It will definitely be a part of my new go-to weekly meal planning!!
Christin McKamey says
Thank you Robert! Glad it will be a part of your weekly meal plan- awesome!
Margaret says
I am always looking for ways to use arugula. Your recipe fits the bill and looks delicious. It’s on next week’s menu after grocery shopping. Thank you!
Christin McKamey says
Yay, thanks Margaret! So happy to help! =)