Spaghetti al Pesto
Get ready to twirl your fork around strands of pasta coated in a herby, nutty, and garlicky pesto. Finished with freshly torn basil leaves, crunchy pepitas and cherry tomatoes just bursting with juicy umami, this spaghetti al pesto is a dish you won’t want to stop eating.
Here’s one of my best spring/summer cooking tips: whip up a jar of pesto (or buy it from the store) and use it throughout the week to make myriad recipes: caprese pesto ciabatta, orzo salad with pesto, creamy pesto salad dressing, cheesy pesto baked eggs, pesto as a pizza topper, or of course, this spaghetti alla pesto.
It’s a fantastic way to take one hero ingredient and make distinctive meals no one will get tired of.
About this spaghetti al pesto specifically — it’s a modern (read: easy, quick, and just as appetizing) twist on the traditional Italian dish, which was invented in Genoa and usually uses trofie, not spaghetti.
Since spaghetti is more common in British kitchens, I’ve switched out the pasta, making it more affordable and easy to whip up for a light midweek meal (although it also works as an impressive dinner main).
Bright, fresh, with subtle nuances of pleasant bitterness and umami from cheese, plus the bursting tanginess from cherry tomatoes … for such a simple dish, spaghetti al pesto is overloaded with robust flavour.
I can’t wait for you to make this recipe, so let’s get to it.
😋Why You’ll Obsess Over Spaghetti al Pesto
🌿Ingredients Overview
- Spaghetti is our pasta of choice. It’s affordable, accessible, and the long strands are perfect for slurping up the piquant pesto sauce. Use good quality spaghetti if you can, or if you’ve feeling extra fancy, homemade.
- Pesto brings vibrant, bright, and savoury notes to the dish. Although there are many variations of pesto, just a classic pesto di basilico (pesto Genovese or basil pesto) is ideal. You can make this at home or buy it at any supermarket or Italian store; if you use store-bought, always buy fresh (not jarred) and make sure you check the ingredients. It’s often not vegetarian due to animal rennet.
- Basil stirred through the end highlights the gorgeously peppery herbiness of the pesto. Always use fresh, not dried.
- Pumpkin seeds are optional, but great to add extra nutrition and interesting texture.
- Cherry tomatoes contrast beautifully with the subtly sweet, nutty, and bright pesto. Again, optional. I like using piccobella, San Marzano, or a heritage selection of multiple colours, for visual “wow” and flavour depth.
Optional Add-Ins and Variations
This recipe is the ultimate base for so many fun adaptations.
For example, even though the spaghetti alla pesto is already vegetarian and soy free, you can accommodate any special dietary requirements effortlessly.
- Veganise the recipe by using homemade pesto with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan instead of standard cheese.
- Make it nut free by swapping out traditional pine nuts for sunflower or pumpkin seeds in homemade pesto.
- Adjust the spaghetti al pesto to be gluten free by switching standard pasta with a gluten free spaghetti alternative. Nowadays you can find these in most major supermarkets, but don’t rule out online retailers — they usually have a great selection, including some more unique yet ultra-nutritious options like buckwheat, rice and quinoa, and even red lentil spaghetti.
The meal is so scrumptious it’s guaranteed to become a weekly favourite 😉 To avoid the feeling of getting in a rut, you can comfortably switch things up with just a few additions:
- Add leafy greens like spinach to increase the nutrition. Spinach is ideal as its mild earthiness pairs well with the basil pesto, without overpowering it.
- Include a touch of spice by stirring through plenty of black pepper or a small pinch of red chilli flakes.
- Increase the protein by serving with a topping of gooey buratta, crispy tofu cutlets, or grilled halloumi!
🧑🍳How to Make Spaghetti al Pesto (Step-by-Step Photos)
One: Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add enough salt for the water to taste like the sea (this is essential!) and cook the pasta according to package instructions, until al dente.
Two: Drain the pasta — however, reserve all that delicious pasta water. We’ll use it to make the sauce lovely and silky.
Three: Add the spaghetti and pesto to a pan. No need to heat!
Four: Add roughly torn pieces of fresh basil, plus a tablespoon or two of that pasta water. Toss everything to mix.
If you want to make your pesto, all you’ll need is fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts (alternatively, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds), hard vegetarian cheese (skip for vegan), and great quality olive oil.
Make short work of the condiment in a food processor, or get those muscles to work with a time-honoured mortar and pestle! Recipe coming soon.
🧑🏫Expert Tips
This dish is ridiculously simple — especially if you use store-bought pesto.
But unpretentious dishes demand perfection. There’s nothing to hide behind. So, you need to ensure you’ve got all the details of the process mastered.
For example, you absolutely must salt the pasta water generously. It’s your only chance to season the spaghetti itself. Adding salt later in the process doesn’t marry the flavours together nearly as cohesively.
Also, don’t heat the pesto. This is a mistake I made when I was new to cooking — I thought all pasta sauces needed cooking. Not so with pesto!
Finally, good quality ingredients make all the difference, especially when there are so few components. If you can afford it, premium pasta is worth the splurge, as is fresh basil.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
🥖Serving Suggestions
Don’t try to reheat spaghetti al pesto! Unlike most pasta dishes, it’s best served at room temperature or cold from the fridge. Heat destroys the delicate flavours of pesto.
Personally, I love eating cold meals in the burning heat of spring/summer. Light and refreshing allllll the way for me.
And while spaghetti alla pesto doesn’t need an accompaniment, a fresh bowl like spinach and arugula salad would round out the bright, sunny flavours perfectly.
Alternatively, you can’t go wrong with garlic bread or roasted vegetables. These sides make the dish more filling and nourishing without detracting from the star of the show — pesto pasta.
Pair with a classic white wine or sparkling lemonade (lychee lemonade is an exciting change from lemon!).
You can top your pasta with extra grated cheese (vegan cheese would be great too), pine nuts, and lemon zest.
If you tried this spaghetti al pesto recipe — or any other recipe on my website — please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for being a part of my community!
Spaghetti al Pesto
Ingredients
- 170 g spaghetti
- 130 g pesto genovese, vegetarian
- 2 stems basil
- Sea salt enough to make it taste like the sea
- 6 cherry tomatoes optional
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Add enough Sea salt for the water to taste like the sea, then add 170 g spaghetti. Cook according to package directions or until al-dente, around 6 minutes.
- Drain the pasta, but reserve some of the pasta water.
- Add the drained spaghetti back into the pan and toss with 130 g pesto , 2 stems basil (roughly torn), and a tablespoon or so of your pasta water to loosen it up. There's no need to heat the pan or cook the pesto/pasta any further.
- Optionally, serve with 6 cherry tomatoes and 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds.
Delicious! I made this to take to a potluck ,the bowl was scraped clean. Fresh and flavourful, I’ll definitely be making it again!
Thanks so much for making the recipe and taking the time to leave a review, Steve! I’m glad everyone at your potluck was a fan!