Who doesn’t love pesto, right? It’s rich, flavorful, and it can turn something completely boring (like pasta) into something spectacular. The only problem is that it’s full of expensive ingredients (fresh herbs, pine nuts, olive oil, cheese, etc.). So, I’ve made this simplified “beggar’s pesto” to satisfy my cravings for pesto pasta.
I can usually get parsley for less than a dollar per bunch so I substituted it for the usual basil. Parsley still lends a bright, fresh flavor, which is needed to balance the rich olive oil and zesty garlic. I skipped the pine nuts all together, but you can also try using about a half cup of walnuts if you’ve got a few dollars to spare. Try to buy the walnuts from bulk bins so that you only have to buy the small amount that you need. I actually forgot to buy a fresh lemon, so I used some lemon juice that I had in my fridge. You can use the juice from one whole lemon and also add in the zest for more flavor.
This recipe for Parsley Pesto Pasta is really quick and easy, and makes a ton. It makes 8 side dish sized servings (2 oz. pasta each), or 4-6 main dish servings. Add some grilled chicken and a fresh side salad for a complete meal! Also, check the bottom of the post for a few variation ideas.
Parsley Pesto Pasta
Parsley Pesto Pasta
Servings 8Ingredients
- 1 lb. fettuccini ($1.29)
- 1 bunch Italian parsley ($0.85)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan ($0.48)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.12)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup olive oil ($1.26)
Instructions
- Rinse the parsley well and shake off as much water as possible. Remove the leaves from the stems and place them into the food processor. Also add the garlic (peeled), parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Pulse until there are no large chunks of garlic left.
- Slowly add the olive oil through the spout on the lid as you continue to pulse the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and pulse until smooth. Taste the pesto and add salt to your liking. I added 1/4 teaspoon. You want the pesto to be slightly saltier than you’d think because it will be spread out thin over the pasta.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions (this can done while you make the pesto). Before draining the pasta, reserve about a half cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta, let cool slighly (about 5 minutes) and then return it to the pot. Add the pesto and stir to coat. If the pasta becomes dry, clumpy, or sticky, use a small amount of the pasta water to help loosen it up. Serve warm!
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Nutrition
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Step By Step Photos
This is pretty much all you need (plus olive oil) to make this simplified pesto. Parsley, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Make sure your parmesan is 100% parmesan and not grated parmesan mixed with fillers.
Rinse the parsley well and shake as much water off as possible. Pick the leaves from the stems and place them in the bowl of the food processor. To easily remove the leaves, just pinch and the base of each cluster of leaves and pull out toward the end. The leaves (and maybe a little stem) will come right off. Place the parsley leaves, peeled garlic, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice in the food processor.
Pulse the ingredients until there are no large chunks of garlic left. It doesn’t have to be super fine because you’ll pulse more as you add the olive oil.
Slowly add the olive oil through the spout as you continue to pulse.
Once the mixture is smooth, give it a taste and add salt as needed. The parmesan is fairly salty on it’s own, but I still added 1/4 tsp of salt because I knew the flavor would be diluted slightly when it was spread out over the pasta.
Cook the pata according to the package directions. Before draining it, reserve a little bit of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta, let it cool for a few minutes, and then return it to the pot. Pour the pesto over top.
Stir the pasta and pesto to coat. If the pesto pasta has become dry, sticky, or clumpy, add just a little of the reserved pasta water to help loosen it up. The starchy pasta water is preferred because the starch will actually help the pesto stick, as opposed to making it slip right off like plain water.
Serve the parsley pesto pasta warm!
Other variations to try: add black pepper, lemon zest, other fresh herbs, walnuts, cayenne pepper… the possibilities are endless!
Question
Can parsley pesto be frozen and used at an other time?
Thanks
I haven’t tried it, but I know many people freeze other types of pesto, so I would guess that it would work.
This is super! You can also add some walnuts while grinding it to make it much more creamy!
This was delicious and so very easy!! I used home grown parsley and the zest from the lemon that I juiced. Waste not, want not! Wish I could give more than 5 stars!
I wanted to ask how many almonds should be needed if you’re making it with almonds and also should I roast them?
Hey Jess,
I added a 1/2 cup of walnuts to the recipe, and the recipe tastes great. I didn’t alter any other ingredients. I think roasting the nuts beforehand would add a great flavor, but I didn’t to save time and it still turned out tasty!
~ Andrea
For an even more satisfying, protein-packed lunch to take on the go, I add a sprinkling of chopped pecans and turkey bacon crumbles to this dish! It’s already good, but that makes it great.
Hey Beth,
Just wanted to say when I make this recipe I always use the stems of the parsley. It never affects the texture for me. This also works great with the woody ends of asparagus that you snap off. Carrot greens and kale stems work great as well (though I usually mix those with parsley for some added flavor). Pesto is just an easy way to use up those normally discarded bits of greens.
Good to know! Thanks! :D
Forgot to rate
I’ve just made some parsley pesto to liven up some potato and onion soup ( made with stock from the carcus of Sunday’s roast chicken) adding 1 tsp to each bowl. There’s loads of pesto left so I’m going to grind up some walnuts and have it with pasta tomorrow. Great recipe ideas, thanks.
Oops, forgot to rate. Don’t want it to miss out on those five stars!
Made this to pair with the honey balsamic chicken tenders and it was a perfect match – very light and flavorful, but not overpowering. I used dried parsley because it was all I had, but it still tasted great! I really like this simple recipe for pesto because it’s cheaper and I usually can’t buy pre-made pestos because they have cheese (lactose-intolerance sucks!). This was a great alternative and I have leftovers for tomorrow… or later tonight when I want a snack. ;)
Can I just say i LOVE your blog! I too wish I had a food processor but as soon as I can convince one of my friends to lend me one I am trying this :) Thanks!
use a blender
I wish I had a food processor :(
This was so good! I didn’t expect it to pack much of a punch, but it did! Had it on spaghetti squash, perfect summer dinner. Didn’t even have to turn on my stove.
I love parsley pesto! it is so refreshing! but i haven’t try it on pasta! I will – this week.
Monika