Spaghetti With Pesto Sauce

Spaghetti With Pesto Sauce
Baby potatoes add texture and heft to this crowd-pleasing pasta. (Victoria de la Maza)
3/23/2022
Updated:
3/23/2022

Pesto is a must-have sauce in the fridge. Yes, there are many already made in stores, some of better quality than others, but making it from scratch at home is super easy and so much better since you’re able to customize it with your favorite flavors.

I always add a handful of baby potatoes to this dish. I know it’s a bit over-the-top in the carbs department, but they add texture, color, and gravitas. Of course, you can omit them if you wish.

Any extra pesto is great to stir into shrimp, use as a sauce for grilled salmon, or simply toss with boiled potatoes. Pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and frozen for much longer.

Serves 4
  • 4 cups (5 ounces) fresh basil leaves, tightly packed, stems removed
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 pound baby or fingerling potatoes, cut in half
  • 1 pound spaghetti
In a saucepan with boiling water, blanch the basil leaves for a few seconds to wilt. Remove them to a strainer (reserve the water) and run them under cold water. Squeeze them to remove as much water as possible and dry them on paper towels.

In a blender, add the basil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and garlic cloves. Pulse to make a thick paste, adding teaspoons of the blanching water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; taste to adjust seasonings.

In a large stockpot of salted, boiling water, cook the potatoes for about 8 minutes. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.

Reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water, then strain the spaghetti and potatoes into a bowl. Stir in the pesto sauce, mixing well with tongs until the pasta is completely coated with the sauce. Add the reserved cooking water if needed.

Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Victoria de la Maza is an award-winning cookbook author, columnist, and international TV host. Passionate about great food, she combines American traditions with her European heritage to create classic-with-a-twist recipes and ideas for stylish entertaining at home. Subscribe to her weekly newsletter, "Diary of a Serial Hostess,” at VictoriaDeLaMaza.substack.com
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