Lemon Pesto Pasta
Soft noodles laced with an ultra-flavorful blend of basil pesto, lemon, and sun-dried tomatoes. Showered with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, this dish is off the charts. It’s also incredibly easy, made with 6 ingredients and ready in 20 minutes.
This amazing meal packs so much flavor
And it requires very little work because we take advantage of store-bought pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. The two partner so well together – the pesto is garlicky and nutty and the sun-dried tomatoes are tangy and sweet. Pro tip: Save prep time and buy the pre-sliced sun-dried tomatoes!
Choose your favorite prepared basil pesto for this recipe. You can use shelf stable pesto or the refrigerated variety – both work great in this recipe.
Any pasta shape works in this recipe
I used long strands of curly fusilli and they were so much fun! But there’s no need to run to the store if you already have penne, ziti, spaghetti, linguine, shells, or other pasta shape!
This healthy vegetarian meal can also double as a side dish. This light yet satisfying dish would be excellent alongside steak and chicken!
I served this dish warm, but it would be great cold too. That means you can pack leftovers for lunch the next day!
Lemon Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta of choice
- 1 cup chopped or sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, excess oil drained
- 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 lemon, halved (1 tablespoon juice for the sauce; lemon slices for serving)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta water, and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine the sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes (while you wait for the pasta).
- Fold in the pasta and reserved pasta cooking water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the pasta is heated through. Fold in the parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve with lemon slices, fresh basil, and extra parmesan cheese on the side.