*8 oz. of your favorite pasta (see my substitutes at the end)
*2 cups of basil leaves(washed)
*3 large cloves of garlic
*⅓ walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts (see my substitutes at the end)
*½ cup of olive oil
*½ teaspoon of salt
*2 tablespoons of lemon juice
*Black pepper (to taste)
Substitutes:
Can’t eat nuts? Try pumpkin seeds, or leave them out altogether. They only add texture.
Can’t have pasta? Try spiralized vegetables. My favorite is“carrot noodles” but, you can use any vegetables like zucchini or spaghetti squash.
So how are you going to make this beautiful dish? First, cook your pasta. Boil your noodles or vegetables to perfection by following the directions on the back of the box. While the pasta is cooking away, remove the stems off of the basil. Now, blend the remaining leaves and all other ingredients in a food processor (fancy word for smaller blender.). The “paste” left over in the blender is your sauce! It should be smooth with an exception to the nuts. Then, you are going to take your noodles out and drain them thoroughly. After you are done, pour the pesto sauce on top of the noodles in a large bowl. Continue to toss them until every noodle has a nice coating of pesto. Bon appetit!