Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 4 - 6 quarts water
- 1/3 cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped small
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
- 2 - 3 teaspoons Kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
1: Bring 4 - 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add salt to the water as suggested on the spaghetti/pasta package.
2: Add the pasta to boiling water. Cook according to package directions or until almost al dente.
3: Reserve 1 cup (or more) of the pasta water. Drain pasta and return to the pan.
4: While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over low heat in a sauté pan. Add the nuts and garlic. Cook until the nuts just start to brown (about 7 - 9 minutes). Stir frequently.
5: Stir the salt and parsley into the sauce. Cook another minute.
6: Mix the walnut pesto sauce into the drained spaghetti. Then stir in the amount of reserved water needed to get the desired consistency.
7: Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Salt to taste. Serve.
Notes
You can use grated Romano cheese in place of the Parmesan if desired.
You may use any type of long, slender pasta for this recipe.
In addition to the salt I add to the pesto, I add a couple teaspoons of salt to the pasta water. This gives more flavor to the spaghetti. Except for the reserved water, this water will be discarded after the spaghetti is cooked.
Try this easy Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto recipe! It tastes so delicious you will think you are in an Italian restaurant. This Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto recipe is perfect for both fancy and simple meals. Serve this pasta with a salad and bread and you have a nice dinner. You can reheat any leftovers for a tasty quick meal. In this cooking video Karen Breyer will show you step-by-step how to make this Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto recipe.
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