Lemon-Garlic Pesto Pasta with Spinach and Parmesan

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 drafted and published.

Bright lemon and garlic pesto tossed with tender pasta, fresh spinach, and Parmesan for a light yet satisfying vegetarian meal. This Italian recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 20 minutes, blends spaghetti pasta, fresh basil leaves, and garlic cloves 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 480 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Add this recipe to your weekly plan" 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: 10 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 480 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 oz spaghetti pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
  2. Step 2: Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/4 cup pine nuts. Pulse until finely chopped.
  3. Step 3: With the processor running, slowly add 1/3 cup olive oil until the pesto is smooth and emulsified. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  4. Step 4: Toss the drained pasta with the prepared pesto, 3 cups fresh baby spinach, and enough reserved pasta water (start with 1/4 cup) to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta evenly.
  5. Step 5: Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.

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