Name: An Easy Homemade Basil Pesto Pasta Sauce Recipe for Summer
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup pine nuts; 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan; 2 garlic cloves, grated; 3 bunches fresh basil, washed and dried; 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Jump to Recipe

A bowl of freshly made basil pesto pasta in a large white serving bowl with wooden spoons. A block of Parmesan cheese is next to it.

An easy homemade basil pesto pasta sauce recipe for summer that tastes as flavorful and fresh as it actually is.

Pesto is one of those things that I remember distinctly the first time I had it. I was in my twenties and we were having dinner with friends who worked with my husband at Surfer Publishing. They had a very cool cottage in Laguna Beach. At the time I probably did not appreciate just how cool it was for the early 90s. Both are artists and so it makes sense their place would be a reflection of their talents.

It was mid-summer and they made us pasta with fresh pesto made from their tiny hillside garden with ocean breezes that had basil growing wild. I had never even tasted pesto. For reference though, this was even before we had Trader Joe’s in South Orange County, California so it never occurred to me to buy it in a jar at the grocery store. Years later I still have a hard time buying store-bought pesto when it’s so easy to make. And when you make your own fresh pesto, the sauce coats every bite of pasta unlike any store-bought pesto will.

What I love most about this dish is how a few simple ingredients make such a stunningly bright and flavorful sauce for a perfect bowl of comfort food. I also love that it’s a dish that’s best made in the summer when basil grows plentiful. It’s the perfect easy meal for picnics, dining outside, or busy weeknights. It’s delicious hot or served room temperature. And it makes great leftovers…if you are lucky enough to have leftovers! Just use some plastic wrap to cover the bowl or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to have again.

The simple ingredients

Ingredients for basil pesto on a wood cutting board.

Black and white kitchen with all the ingredients on the counter for making basil pesto sauce.

Toasted pine nuts
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garlic cloves, grated
Bunches of fresh basil, washed and dried
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

The equipment you’ll need

Food processor
Microplane grater
Baking sheet
Large pasta pot

What is the best pasta to use?

A lot of people like to use spaghetti or penne pasta with fresh basil pesto. However, I like to serve pesto sauce with fusilli pasta because the sauce gets in all the spirals and gives you the most flavor in every bite. But really, any pasta will work just fine so choose your favorite and run with it.

How can I serve pesto pasta?

A large white serving bowl with wooden serving spoons is filled with fresh basil pesto pasta.

I think this recipe is good and so packed full of flavor that I like to serve it as an entree with some crusty bread and a side salad. But pesto is very versatile so you could serve it as a side dish or as a pesto pasta salad with chicken, cherry tomatoes and a few red pepper flakes.

Instructions for the best pesto pasta recipe

Preheat the oven to 350º. On a baking sheet, spread the pine nuts in an even layer, and toast them until golden brown (don’t walk away as they are toasting; it takes only 2 or 3 minutes and they can easily burn if you get distracted).
Transfer the pine nuts to a food processor and let them cool.
Next, add the cheese and garlic and pulse until finely ground, about 1 minute.
Add the washed basil (thick stems removed and discarded).
With the motor running, add the extra virgin olive oil in a slow and steady stream until pesto is smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (I prefer it al dente) and reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.
Place your cooked and drained pasta in a large bowl. Pour the pesto sauce into the hot pasta and mix. If the mixture is a little dry, add some of the cup of the pasta water. Top with additional grated parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

For a few other fun recipes, you might like these: