Dinner
Classic Pesto Pasta (with Optional Chicken)
At a Glance
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why This Recipe Works
- The pesto is made from fresh basil, Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, garlic and olive oil, so the flavour comes from the sauce itself rather than a bottled shortcut.
- A little reserved pasta cooking water loosens the pesto and helps it spread over the pasta instead of sitting in oily patches.
- The pesto is tossed through the pasta away from direct heat, which helps the basil keep a fresher colour and flavour.
- Cooked chicken can be folded in at the end without changing the basic pesto method, making it easy to keep the pasta vegetarian or make it more substantial.
Equipment at a Glance
- Food processor or blender
- Large saucepan or pot
- Colander
- Small frying pan
- Tongs or pasta server
Pro Tip
Toss the pesto with the pasta off the heat and loosen it gradually with reserved cooking water. Direct high heat can dull the fresh basil flavour and colour.
Key Ingredient: 340g pasta
Choose a shape that holds pesto well, such as trofie, fusilli, penne or spaghetti, and cook until al dente.
Introduction
Fresh pesto doesn't need cooking — it needs to stay off direct heat. Blending basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and olive oil takes a couple of minutes, and the pan goes off the hob before the pesto is stirred through the hot pasta, so the basil keeps its bright colour and flavour instead of dulling.
Allow about 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook, around 20 minutes in total. It serves four.
What You'll Need
Ingredients
For the pesto
- 60g fresh basil leaves, packed
- 50g pine nuts, toasted
- 50g Parmesan, freshly grated
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 120ml extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the pasta
- 340g pasta (trofie, penne, fusilli or spaghetti)
- 120ml reserved pasta cooking water
Optional
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
Equipment
A food processor or blender is needed to purée the pesto smoothly; a small one works just as well as a large countertop model.
How to Make Classic Pesto Pasta
Boil the Pasta and Toast the Pine Nuts
- Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Just before draining, reserve about 120ml of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden — watch them closely, as they can burn quickly once they start to colour.
Blend the Pesto
- Place the basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth.
Toss and Serve
- Return the drained hot pasta to the warm saucepan, off the heat. Add the pesto and a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, then toss thoroughly, adding more water as needed, until the pasta is coated in a glossy sauce rather than sitting in oily patches.
- If using, fold the sliced chicken through the pasta. Transfer to warm bowls and finish with extra grated Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.
What to Serve It With
A simple green salad or garlic bread works alongside, though the pasta is substantial enough to serve on its own.
Tips for the Best Results
- Keep the pan off direct heat once the pesto goes in
- Cooking fresh pesto dulls the basil's bright colour and flavour; the residual heat of the pasta is enough to warm it through.
- Loosen with pasta water, not extra oil
- The starch in the cooking water helps the pesto cling to the pasta evenly; extra oil just pools at the bottom of the bowl.
- Don't over-process the pesto
- Pulsing rather than running the processor continuously keeps some texture and limits how much the basil darkens from heat and air exposure.
- Toast the pine nuts just until golden
- They go from toasted to burnt quickly once they start to colour, so stay by the pan.
Substitutions and Variations
- No pine nuts
- use 50g walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.
- Different protein
- fold through sautéed prawns or a small amount of crisp pancetta instead of chicken.
- Extra vegetables
- add peas, courgette or spinach, cooked separately and folded in at the end so they don't water down the pesto.
- Brighter finish
- if the pesto tastes flat, stir in a small squeeze of lemon after blending.
How to Store, Make Ahead, and Reheat Classic Pesto Pasta
Cooked pesto pasta is best fresh, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days — it's also good served cold as a pasta salad. Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, rather than in a microwave on full power, which can make the oil separate.
If storing unmixed pesto, keep it in a clean, airtight container in the fridge — raw garlic blended into oil should always be refrigerated rather than left at room temperature — and use it within a week. For longer storage, freeze pesto without the Parmesan in ice-cube trays, then transfer to a freezer bag and stir in fresh Parmesan once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make pesto without pine nuts?
- Yes. Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds all work in their place.
- Why did my pesto turn dark green or brown?
- Basil darkens when exposed to air and heat. Avoid over-processing it, and combine it with the pasta off the heat rather than over direct heat.
- Can I freeze homemade pesto?
- Yes. Freeze it without the Parmesan in ice-cube trays, then transfer to a freezer bag. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan once thawed.
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