Lemon-Garlic Pesto Pasta with Parmesan and Toasted Pine Nuts

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Al dente pasta tossed in a bright lemon-garlic pesto, finished with grated Parmesan cheese and crunchy toasted pine nuts for a satisfying Italian meal. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, blends spaghetti pasta, fresh basil leaves, pine nuts into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 520 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz spaghetti pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the rest.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, toast 1/4 cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove and set aside.
  3. Step 3: In a food processor, combine 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Pulse to chop.
  4. Step 4: With the processor running, slowly stream in 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil until a smooth pesto forms.
  5. Step 5: In the pot used for pasta, melt 1 tbsp butter over low heat. Add the drained pasta, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, and the pesto. Toss vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta.
  6. Step 6: Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until melted and evenly distributed. Serve topped with toasted pine nuts.

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