Wild Garlic Pesto Pasta (Printable)
Vibrant spring pasta with fragrant wild garlic pesto, pine nuts, and Parmesan for fresh, lively flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wild Garlic Pesto
01 - 2.65 oz wild garlic leaves, rinsed and patted dry
02 - 1.75 oz toasted pine nuts or walnuts
03 - 1.75 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 garlic clove
05 - 3.4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
06 - Juice of ½ lemon
07 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Pasta
08 - 14.1 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or penne)
09 - Salt, for pasta water
→ Optional Garnish
10 - Extra grated Parmesan
11 - Freshly cracked black pepper
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 4 fl oz of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta through a colander and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, add the wild garlic leaves, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan, and garlic clove to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the ingredients are roughly chopped and combined.
03 - With the food processor running continuously, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil through the feed tube. Continue blending until a smooth, vibrant green paste forms. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse briefly to incorporate.
04 - Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the wild garlic pesto and toss thoroughly to coat every strand. Gradually add splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches a silky, creamy consistency that clings to the pasta.
05 - Divide the pesto pasta among individual plates or bowls. Finish with an extra shower of grated Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately while warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Wild garlic pesto tastes like spring distilled into a sauce, more complex and peppery than anything from a store bought jar.
- The entire dish comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means weeknight dinner feels like a special occasion.
02 -
- Wild garlic season is maddeningly short, usually just April through May, so freeze extra leaves in olive oil in ice cube trays when you find them.
- Adding the lemon juice at the very end preserves the bright green color, skip it and your pesto will oxidize to a muddy army drab within hours.
03 -
- Pat the wild garlic leaves completely dry before blending, any residual water makes the pesto separate instead of emulsify.
- If the pesto feels too thick after mixing with pasta, add another tablespoon of pasta water and toss vigorously over low heat until it loosens.