Ingredients
Scale
- For the pasta:
- 1 package spaghetti pasta (12 ounces)
- 1 ounce cashews, walnuts, or pine nuts, ground (about 1/4 cup; for optional garnish)
- For the pesto sauce:
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 ounces cashews, walnuts and/or pine nuts (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic (2 to 3 medium cloves)
- 2 ounces fresh basil (about 2 cups chopped)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water, return the pasta to the pot, and set aside.
- To make the pesto, place all of the sauce ingredients (water, nuts, lemon juice, garlic, and basil) into a food processor, and process for 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little water, as needed. (You can also use a blender, which blends more quickly and results in a smoother sauce).
- Stir the pesto sauce into the pot of cooked pasta. Serve immediately as is or topped with ground nuts (use a rotary cheese grater to create a parmesan-like topping).
Notes
Some lightly cooked vegetables, such as onion, mushrooms, and/or summer squash, are delicious added to this dish, as are chopped fresh tomatoes.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe, 1.5 cups
- Calories: 488
- Sugar: 4.0g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 15.3g
- Saturated Fat: 2.3g
- Carbohydrates: 72.5g
- Fiber: 4.3g
- Protein: 16.8g
- Cholesterol: 0