Easy Pesto Pasta is a delicious, healthy, and satisfying weeknight dinner. With under 10 ingredients, this recipe is flexible and takes minutes to make. The first snow came early in Chicago this year. It was barely November and we were driving green pesto pasta recipe an appointment.
We sat in the cold car way too long, wearing way too-light coats, staring at brake lights and a grey sky. Pullman neighborhood where, situated on the roof of the Method production facility, is Gotham Greens. I’ve been obsessed with their locally grown greens since the moment I came across their deliciously spicy arugula earlier this year. We got a tour of their rooftop greenhouse, and even though it was cold and miserable outside, it was so warm and sunny up there. We weren’t about to head out into the snow for any additional groceries, and really, nothing beats pasta in terms of combining bold flavor and easy prep. Blend up a batch of my 6-ingredient basil pesto, or use store-bought pesto in a pinch.
Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the starchy pasta water. 4 cup of this pasta water back into the pot with your pesto, and stir to thin the pesto. Toss in the cooked pasta, and mix until the pesto thoroughly coats it. Add a big handful of arugula and toss until it’s barely wilted.
Finish everything with a big squeeze of lemon, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and toasted pine nuts. The salty, starchy pasta water will loosen the pesto enough to make a light sauce over the pasta. Because of its salty, starchy quality, this water will make a more flavorful, thicker final pesto sauce than regular water would. Add the greens at the last minute. I like my greens to be just slightly wilted, not totally limp. Toss them in at the last minute so that the hot pasta can wilt them, and then serve right away, while they still have a little crunch and vibrant color. Pestos vary in brightness, saltiness, and overall intensity of flavor, so make sure you taste and adjust your final dish before serving.