Lemon Pesto Pasta

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This easy 20 minute Lemon Pesto Pasta is perfect for weeknights! The bright, creamy, no-cook lemon pesto is made without pine nuts and basil. Just 6 ingredients needed to make! Can be served with your favorite protein on the side. (Vegetarian).

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

½ lb dried spaghetti (or linguine, see note 1)
1 lemon
½ oz finely grated Parmesan (about ¼ cup, plus more for garnish, see note 2)
¼ cup raw cashews (see note 3)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
finely chopped fresh basil (optional, about 1 to 2 tablespoons)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add ½ lb dried spaghetti and cook until al dente. Scoop out ¾ cups pasta water, then drain pasta.
Prep lemons: Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to remove the yellow rind (avoid the bitter white pith beneath) from 1 lemon. Set rinds aside. Cut lemon in half and squeeze until you get 1 tablespoon(s) of lemon juice. Set lemon juice aside. (If you have extra lemons or juice, you can save it for something else).
Pulse lemon pesto: To a food processor, add all the lemon rind, ¼ cup raw cashews, and ½ oz finely grated Parmesan. Pulse until the consistency of sand. Add the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, and ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until it becomes a pesto-like paste (it won't be perfectly smooth).
Finish: Return the hot drained pasta to the pot, off the heat. Quickly add 1 tablespoon butter, the lemon pesto, and ⅓ cup of pasta water, tossing well to mix. Add more splashes of reserved pasta water, until the noodles are coated in a silky sauce. (I usually use a total of about ½ cup of pasta water). Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Divide into pasta bowls, and garnish with finely chopped fresh basil and more parmesan.

Notes

Pasta: A long noodle, like spaghetti, linguini, bucatini or similar is ideal. Otherwise, use your favorite pasta shape.
Parmesan: You can save time by grating Parmesan in a food processor before making pesto. Keep in mind: 1 oz (28g) is ¼ cup powdery Parmesan (from small holes on box grater) or ½ cup microplaned. Weight is more accurate, but err on the side of more if unsure. If vegetarian, look for Parmesan-style cheese made with "microbial enzymes" rather than "rennet". Or swap a similar cheese, like Asiago.
Cashews: Use raw unsalted cashews. You can substitute pine nuts. Or use blanched almonds (although they tend not to get as creamy).
Scaling up: This recipe can be easily made for 2 servings or 4 servings—simply click the "1x" or "2x" button for the ingredient quantities to be calculated for you. I don't recommend scaling up the recipe to more than 4 servings, because it's too difficult to quickly and effectively toss the hot pasta in the sauce.
Serving tips: This pasta is best made fresh. Leftovers won't be as silky or creamy.

Nutrition