Walnut Pesto Pasta
Serves 6
Time 10 min
This super simple pasta is a weeknight workhorse and a fun (and budget-friendly!) spin on traditional pesto. Make a little extra pesto to spread on sandwiches for the next day’s lunch.
Special Diets:
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts, plus finely chopped walnuts for garnish
- 6 tablespoons walnut oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound fresh fettuccine or linguine
Method
Combine garlic, basil, salt, pepper and walnuts in a food processor and pulse until combined, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed.
Slowly add walnut oil and olive oil, pulsing until combined.
Add cheese and process briefly. Do not overprocess or pesto will have very little texture.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind that cheese adds salt, so additional salt may not be needed.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes.
Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
Thin pesto with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve a sauce that will coat pasta.
Drizzle pesto over pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped walnuts and grated cheese.
Nutritional Info:
Per serving: 470 calories (240 from fat), 27g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 60mg cholesterol, 320mg sodium, 43g carbohydrates (4g dietary fiber, 0g sugar), 13g protein.
Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember - we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.
See our Terms of Service.
See our Terms of Service.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts, plus finely chopped walnuts for garnish
- 6 tablespoons walnut oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound fresh fettuccine or linguine