This Tagliatelle Pesto Pasta is ready in just 15 minutes! It's light and healthy but packed with flavor from the homemade pesto. Serve with a generous sprinkle of parmesan and garlic bread on the side!
This tagliatelle pesto pasta requires 10 ingredients and 15 minutes to make and tastes as if it came out of an Italian restaurant.
It's a fantastic solution for when you are short on time, but still want to eat something delicious and nourishing.
The best part is that you can add whatever vegetables and protein you have on hand to make it a complete meal. I like adding baby spinach and chickpeas, but you can customize it any way you like!
For more pasta dishes, check out my Vegetarian Rasta Pasta, Gochujang Pasta, Ravioli in Pomodoro Sauce, and Vodka Pasta without Vodka.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Tagliatelle. I am using dry tagliatelle pasta, but if you can use fresh that's even better. You can also use spaghetti or pappardelle.
- Basil. Fresh basil is essential for a good pesto.
- Pine nuts. They add nuttiness and give body to the pesto.
- Olive oil. For blending everything together and making the pesto creamy.
- Parmesan. I use Parmisano Regiano, but you can use vegan parmesan if needed.
- Lemon juice. A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens this dish even more.
- Salt and black pepper. You'll need to season the pesto to taste, plus more salt to the pasta water.
How to Make Tagliatelle Pesto Pasta
Fill a large pot with water and add a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil, then add the tagliatelle pasta and cook as per packaging instructions, until al dente.
In the meantime, make the pesto. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown.
To a food processor, add the fresh basil, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and lemon juice. Pulse for 30 seconds to roughly chop.
Then, slowly pour the olive oil while blending on low speed, until fully incorporated.
When the pasta is ready, save some of the pasta water and drain the rest. Return to the pot, add the pesto a splash of pasta water, and stir. Serve right away!
Expert Tips
- Use gluten-free pasta if needed. To bump up the protein, you can even use chickpea pasta or red lentil pasta.
- Add whatever veggies you have on hand. You can add kale, spinach, frozen green peas, broccoli, etc.
- Don't rinse the pasta! This is a very widespread myth, but rinsing your pasta removes some of the starch, and we need that starch to make a delicious sauce.
- Salt the pasta water generously and reserve some of it before draining. This is how you make restaurant-quality pasta sauces.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the packaging and cook until al dente.
- Prep in advance. You can prepare the pesto in advance and save it in a covered container for up to 5 days! This will make this recipe even easier to put together.
FAQ
Yes, you can replace the pine nuts with the same amount of pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
Tagliatelle is a long and flat ribbon-shaped pasta made with semolina flour and eggs. It's similar to fettuccine, but it's sold into nests instead of long noodles.
It is thought to have originated from the Emilia-Romagna and Marche regions of Italy.
Yes and no. You can freeze the peso itself, but I don't recommend freezing it with pasta. Store the homemade pesto in a mason jar or an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months.
Yes, this recipe is delicious served both warm and cold!
Storage Tips
- How to refrigerate: Save cooked pasta and pesto in separate containers and mix before serving. Don't forget to drizzle 1-2 tablespoon olive oil on your cooked pasta to prevent it from sticking!
- How to reheat: Add pesto and pasta to a small pot, alongside a splash of water. Heat on medium-low heat until hot.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
And check out this round-up featuring 10 Italian pasta dishes, all simple and so delicious!
📖 Recipe
Tagliatelle Pesto Pasta (15 Minutes)
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Blender
Ingredients
For the pesto
- 1 ounce (30g) basil
- ½ cup pine nuts or other nuts like cashews or walnuts
- 1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese use vegan if needed
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- A pinch of salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For the pasta
- 6 ounces dry tagliatelle pasta (use gluten-free if needed)
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, add 2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Next, add the pasta and boil until al dente, following the recommended time on the packaging. Save ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.6 ounces dry tagliatelle pasta
- In the meantime, prepare the pesto. Start by toasting the pine nuts, if you haven't already. Add to a skillet and toast over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until slightly golden.½ cup pine nuts
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor- basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese. Pulse for 30 seconds to roughly chop.1 ounce (30g) basil, 1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, A pinch of salt, to taste, Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Then, slowly pour the olive oil while blending on low speed, until fully incorporated.⅓ cup olive oil
- Add the drained pasta back to the pot along with the pesto, and a splash of pasta water. Cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes, until creamy and well coated.
- Serve topped with more parmesan (optional) and enjoy immediately.
- Save in a covered container, in a fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Silviya Alexandrova says
This pasta has legit turned into my favourite!