Green Pesto Pasta Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Printable Version)

Pasta tossed in aromatic basil pesto with tangy sun-dried tomatoes for a quick, flavorful meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried penne or fusilli pasta
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Pesto

03 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
04 - 1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
05 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1/2 tsp salt
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Add-ins

11 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
12 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - In a food processor, combine basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice until the pesto is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the hot drained pasta with the pesto, adding a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed.
04 - Stir in the sliced sun-dried tomatoes until evenly distributed throughout the pasta.
05 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sun-dried tomatoes add this incredible tangy sweetness that cuts through the rich pesto perfectly
  • You can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes, but it tastes like something from a restaurant
  • The pesto keeps for days in the fridge, so you're basically meal-prepping while making dinner
02 -
  • Over-blending pesto can make it bitter. Pulse just until everything comes together.
  • That pasta water is liquid gold. The starch helps the pesto cling to every strand.
  • If your pesto tastes too garlicky raw, don't worry. It mellows when tossed with hot pasta.
03 -
  • If pine nuts are too expensive, walnuts work great. Just toast them a bit longer.
  • Add the sun-dried tomatoes at the end so they keep their texture and don't get lost in the sauce.

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