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Fresh Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta Recipe Easy Homemade with Toasted Pine Nuts

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A quick and easy pasta recipe featuring fresh garlic scape pesto with toasted pine nuts, delivering a bright, mild garlic flavor and creamy texture perfect for spring.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup chopped garlic scapes (about 8–10 scapes)
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed
  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Black pepper, a few grinds
  • 12 ounces (340 grams) pasta of choice (linguine or spaghetti recommended)

Instructions

  1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water before draining.
  3. In a food processor, combine chopped garlic scapes, basil leaves, toasted pine nuts (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish), grated Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to roughly combine.
  4. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture forms a creamy pesto. If too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time to loosen. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Return drained pasta to the pot or a large bowl. Add pesto and toss thoroughly to coat, using reserved pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
  6. Divide pasta among plates, sprinkle with remaining toasted pine nuts and extra Parmesan if desired. Finish with fresh cracked black pepper.

Notes

Drizzle olive oil slowly while blending to emulsify properly and avoid greasy sauce. Always toast pine nuts yourself for best flavor. Reserve pasta water to loosen pesto sauce as needed. Do not rinse pasta after draining to help pesto stick better. For more brightness, add a light drizzle of lemon juice before serving. Warming pesto slightly before tossing helps it cling better to pasta.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic scape pesto, pesto pasta, toasted pine nuts, spring recipe, easy pasta, homemade pesto, vegetarian pasta, quick dinner

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/fresh-garlic-scape-pesto-pasta-recipe-easy-homemade-with-toasted-pine-nuts/