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Fresh Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta Recipe Easy Homemade with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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A vibrant and fresh pesto pasta featuring mild garlic scapes and tangy sun-dried tomatoes, perfect for quick and flavorful meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10–12 fresh garlic scapes, trimmed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed (preferably oil-packed)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 12 oz (340 g) pasta such as linguine or spaghetti
  • Optional garnish: fresh basil leaves or extra grated Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Rinse the garlic scapes under cold water and trim off the tough ends. Chop into roughly 1-inch pieces to yield about 1 1/2 cups packed.
  2. Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. In a food processor, combine chopped garlic scapes, toasted pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, grated Parmesan, and lemon juice. Pulse a few times to start breaking down the ingredients.
  4. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth, spreadable paste. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  6. Return drained pasta to the pot or a warm bowl. Add about half the pesto and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more pesto, salt, or pepper as needed. Stir in chopped fresh basil leaves or extra Parmesan if desired.
  8. Serve immediately, drizzling with a little extra olive oil and fresh cracked pepper on top if desired.

Notes

Do not overblend the pesto to retain texture from pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Save some pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles. Toast pine nuts gently to avoid bitterness. Fresh lemon juice brightens the pesto and balances richness.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic scape pesto, pesto pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, easy pasta recipe, spring pasta, homemade pesto, quick dinner, vegetarian pasta

Find it online: https://sweetstirring.com/fresh-garlic-scape-pesto-pasta-recipe-easy-homemade-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/