If there is one pasta dish that deserves a permanent spot in your weekly dinner rotation, it's easy pesto pasta. It comes together in under 30 minutes, tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant, and works for literally everyone at the table. The secret starts with a great sauce, so make sure you have a batch of Classic Basil Pesto ready to go before you even boil your water. Once you've got the hang of this one, you'll want to keep the pesto train rolling with things like Arugula Pesto Pasta with Garlic Shrimp or a cozy baked situation like Three Cheese Pesto Pasta Bake with Sausage for those nights when you want something a little more substantial. Basically, pesto is the answer to most of life's problems and this recipe is proof.
Easy Pesto Pasta at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 22 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 12 people
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Italian
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Bright, herby, and garlicky with a rich nuttiness from pine nuts and parmesan, all wrapped around tender, satisfying pasta.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, contains dairy, gluten, and tree nuts (pine nuts). Can be made gluten-free with a gluten-free pasta swap.
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store leftover pesto pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days, and add a few drops of water when reheating to keep it from drying out.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This easy pesto pasta is one of those recipes that feels like a total win on a busy weeknight. It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes like something you ordered at your favorite Italian spot. The homemade spinach and basil pesto is so simple to throw together and the whole family will go crazy for that vibrant green color. It is endlessly versatile too, so you can pair it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or a big pile of roasted veggies and call it dinner.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Pesto is easy to make and keep on hand for easy meals such as this pasta! Kids will love the fun color. I like serving this spinach pesto pasta with a protein like grilled chicken, or shrimp and some more vegetables on the side like this garlic butter broccoli or any combo of roasted vegetables depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- Baby Spinach
- Basil
- Pine Nuts
- Parmesan Cheese
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Lemon Juice
- Kosher Salt
- Lemon Zest
- Black Pepper freshly ground
- Spaghetti
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
Substitutions & Swaps
🌿 Spinach & Basil
- Baby arugula - Swapping in arugula for the spinach brings a peppery, slightly bitter bite that makes the pesto feel more complex and grown-up without changing the texture at all.
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley - Parsley is bright and grassy and works as a 1:1 swap for basil when basil is out of season. It keeps the sauce vibrant green and adds a clean herbal flavor that pairs well with lemon.
- Fresh mint - Replace up to half the basil with fresh mint for a lighter, more aromatic pesto. It works especially well in summer and adds a cool finish that plays nicely with the lemon zest already in this recipe.
- Kale (stems removed) - Lacinato kale blended in place of the spinach gives the pesto a slightly earthier, more robust flavor with a deeper green color. Blanch it for 30 seconds first to soften the raw edge.
🌰 Pine Nuts
- Toasted walnuts - Walnuts are the most common pine nut substitute for good reason. They add a slightly tannic, earthy depth that makes the pesto taste heartier, and they cost a fraction of the price.
- Toasted cashews - Raw or lightly toasted cashews blend into an incredibly creamy pesto. They have a mild buttery flavor that lets the basil and lemon shine without competing.
- Toasted almonds (blanched) - Blanched almonds give the pesto a slightly grainy, rustic texture similar to a Sicilian-style sauce. Toast them well first to bring out their nuttiness before blending.
- Toasted pepitas - Pepitas are a great nut-free option that blend smooth and add a mild, slightly sweet nuttiness. They keep the sauce completely nut-free for allergy-sensitive households.
- Toasted sunflower seeds - Sunflower seeds are another solid nut-free swap that blend into a creamy, mild base. They have a subtly earthy flavor that works well with the spinach-forward ratio in this recipe.
🧀 Parmesan Cheese
- Pecorino Romano - Pecorino is sharper and saltier than Parmesan with a more pronounced sheep's milk funk. Use slightly less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go since it can quickly overpower the herbs.
- Grana Padano - Grana Padano is milder and a little creamier than Parmesan, which makes it a great choice when you want a more subtle, nutty backdrop that lets the basil and spinach take center stage.
- Aged Asiago - Aged Asiago has a buttery, slightly tangy flavor that melts beautifully into the sauce. It brings a different kind of richness compared to Parmesan and adds a nice savory complexity.
🍋 Lemon Juice & Zest
- White wine vinegar - A small splash of white wine vinegar (about 2 teaspoons) replicates the acidic brightness of lemon juice without the citrus flavor. It keeps the pesto from tasting flat when you are out of lemons.
- Lime juice and zest - Lime swaps in seamlessly for lemon and adds a slightly more tropical, floral citrus note. It pairs especially well with arugula or mint variations of this pesto.
- Apple cider vinegar - A small amount of apple cider vinegar adds the necessary acidity to balance the richness of the olive oil and nuts. Use about half the amount called for since it is more assertive than lemon juice.
🍝 Pasta Shape
- Casarecce - Casarecce has a rolled, scrolled shape that traps sauce inside the pasta itself. It is one of the best short pasta shapes for pesto and feels a little more special than spaghetti for a dinner party.
- Fusilli - The tight spirals of fusilli are excellent at clinging to thick, chunky sauces like this pesto. It is widely available and a crowd-pleasing shape that works great for kids and adults alike.
- Orecchiette - Orecchiette's little cup shape scoops up and holds thick sauces beautifully. It gives this dish a heartier, chewier texture that feels satisfying and works especially well if you are adding shrimp or chicken on top.
How to Make Pesto Pasta
Step 1: Place spinach, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, lemon zest, and pepper into a food processor.
Step 2: Blend until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth.
Step 3: Mix into cooked pasta for toddlers.
How to Store Pesto Pasta
You can store the pasta in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Add a few drops of water when heating up to prevent it from drying.
How to Freeze Pesto Pasta
You can freeze the sauce! Pesto absolutely saves well for leftover meals! My favorite tip for freezing pesto is to pour it into an ice cube mold that way you can pop out a single serving as needed without having to defrost the whole thing.
FAQs
What is pesto?
Pesto is a bright herby green Italian sauce traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic. It's adds so much flavor to any dish, you can add it on top of protein, use it as the base of pizza, make it into a salad dressing, stir it into a hummus dip, and absolutely add it to pasta.
Can I skip garlic since my kid doesn't eat it?
You can reduce and even totally skip garlic if needed.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Spinach Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1½ cups baby spinach leaves
- ¾ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and quartered
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Spaghetti or any fun shaped pasta
Instructions
- Place spinach, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, lemon zest, and pepper into a food processor; blend until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth.
- Mix into cooked pasta for toddlers.
My 2 year old’s favorite food! I make a double batch and freeze in ice cube trays so it’s always ready to throw into pasta for a quick lunch or dinner since it’s the one thing I know he will always eat.
I want baby food!!!! This looks so colorful and delicious!