plated pesto basil pasta with halved cherry tomatos

Pesto pasta is a great recipe for summer time. It tastes fresh and was really fast and easy to make. It’s also filled with healthy and in season summer ingredients.

The main ingredient is basil. Basil has been known to help fight inflammation and also possibly can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and help with your ability to think clearly. 

Healthy Ingredients for Pesto Recipe

Garlicis a known ingredient for immune support but can also help reduce blood pressure and lower your risk of heart disease. Another healthy ingredient in this recipe is walnuts which have been said to help with brain function, are a healthy source of omega-3 and can reduce inflammation. 

Pesto ingredients: basil, walnuts, garlic, olive oil.

This recipe was super easy to make and only took me only about 20 minutes.

The first step is to but a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. This recipe could also easily be made keto or gluten free by just switching the type of pasta in order to fit your diet! Once the water is boiling add in pasta and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After that it's super simple you just add all of your ingredients to a food processor or blender.  I used 2 cups of basil (or one box) with tough stems removed, 2- 3 cloves of garlic, about 3 tbsp of walnuts (but you can use any nut of your choice), then ⅓ cup olive oil and about 1-2 tsp salt. 

Blending pesto ingredients together.

Then you just blend that thoroughly until it becomes a paste. 

Pesto ready for serving

Then transfer out of the food processor and fold into the cooked pasta. You can serve with parmesan, bread, fresh tomatoes or whatever you prefer. 

Pesto Recipe: 

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups basil 
  • 2 cloves garlic 
  • 3 tbsp walnuts 
  • ⅓ cup olive oil 
  • 1-2 tsp salt 

Directions: 

Put water on the stove to boil, once boiling add pasta of choice and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. About 15-20 minutes While that’s cooking, add basil, garlic, walnuts, olive oil and salt into a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly until it becomes a paste. Then fold pesto into cooked and drained pasta and enjoy!

Summary: 

This recipe is perfect to have for dinner or lunch during summer. It tastes super fresh and can be made quickly with little effort and clean up. Not only that you'll be eating healthy and getting all the benefits of these amazing foods while eating a delicious meal!