Ok maybe an exaggeration, but my dear brother claims he doesn’t normally like pesto but enjoys this version so perhaps it’s accurate.
Regardless, this is a quick, easy and cost-effective recipe that you can throw into your cooking arsenal. It’s dairy-free, and can be made gluten free by simply using gluten-free noodles.
Best Pesto Ever
Ingredients:
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup raw almonds (feel free to use roasted almonds too, or pecans, or walnuts, or pine nuts)
- A lil bit of garlic (1-2 cloves, or one spoonful from a jar of minced garlic)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (feel free to add a bit more to achieve your desired consistency)
- 1 ripe avocado (this is the secret ingredient – adds some creaminess and depth to what would be a pretty standard pesto concoction)
- 2 pounds of pasta noodles (I usually use penne, pictured, but feel free to use whatever type of pasta you prefer)
Directions:
- Put all ingredients except the pasta into a blender (just the flesh of the avocado, might be obvious but don’t throw the skin or the pit in there). Blend it until all ingredients are well combined and the pesto has a smooth consistency. Add more salt/pepper/olive oil as needed.
- Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and put pasta back into the same pot.
- Add your pesto, stir around so the pasta is evenly coated, and if the pasta has cooled off, leave the heat on low to warm it up, stirring occasionally.
I typically make a full batch of pesto, and use half of the pesto for one pound of pasta now and keep half for another pound of pasta later. The full batch of pesto will fill up one standard mason jar and will last forever in the freezer so it’s a great option for a quick meal on hand whenever you need one.
Feel free to serve with parmesan, some garlic bread on the side or some wine if you’re fancy. Let me know if you end up making it!
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Pictured: A three-person quarantine pesto pasta dinner party, April 2020 in Dallas, TX.