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Let’s be honest here.
Pasta is a pretty beloved food by most, you can dress it up or you can dress it down.
Personally? I am a huge fan of dressing it down. Simple flavors are best and a little (ok a lot) of cheese is helpful too.
I am sure that, like a lot people, I pretty much grew up on noodles with butter and salt. Just noodles, butter and salt. It’s a meal that even now I find comfort in and is still totally delicious. However, I now prefer to add at least a little basil. In my years since my childhood I have become a basil freak. I am completely in love with the stuff.
My dad use to grow bush basil out the yazoo throughout the summer months and I loved heading outside to pick it for Friday Night Pasta. I love thinking back to memories like this, especially when summer is so close. I am beyond exited!
So basically, today I am going to tell you how to brown some butter, chop some basil and boil some pasta.
Pretty simple stuff, but a recipe I think everyone could use at one time or another.
The idea for leaving the pesto chunky came from this amazing book. If you are interested in cooking and crafting you should definitely look into this book. I personally love it.
Chunky pesto means no breaking out the food processor. And that makes me so happy. For some reason, I really hate using that appliance. Washing it – Ugh.
I added a little brown butter for an extra layer of flavor.
Plus, my mom says no pasta is complete without at least a little salt and butter.
Can’t really argue that.
Oh, and pasta on Thursday just feels right.
Especially when it is so quick and easy to prepare. Quick and easy makes things so much better.
20 Minute Brown Butter Chunky Basil Pesto Pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 cup fresh basil
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or almonds, pistachios, walnuts or cashews, but I personally like pine nuts best)
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4-6 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan add the butter and melt over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam, and froth, and then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the basil and add it to a medium size bowl. Chop the pine nuts and finely mince or grate the garlic, add them to the bowl with the basil. Add the parmesan, olive oil and cooled brown butter (make sure to get all the brown bits out of the pan). Using a fork mix well and then sort of mash all the ingredients together with the fork. If desired add more olive oil until your desired consistency is reached.
- Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain and immediately toss the hot pasta with the pesto. Serve hot or at room temp (I am all about hot pasta though!) with fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Especially on a Thursday, when we are all dying for Friday.
This looks so good, love the chunky pesto!
Thank you so much, Laura!
Friday night pasta might have to become a thing in my household too, because wow! This looks fantastic! I always thought of brown butter as something only used in desserts, but I’m now seeing the error of my ways. Definitely excited that this pesto doesn’t require a food processor either – too much hassle!
Yes, yes, yes!! Make it a thing for sure! 🙂
Thanks so much!
Lookit that pesto! The chunkier the better, I always say 😀 Beautiful and tasty as always!
Thanks Julia! 🙂
This pasta looks AH-MAZING! Anything with pesto has my name on it! Pinned!
Thanks so much, Gayle!
I could seriously eat that whole bowl! I get a weird reaction to pine nuts, it’s called pine nut mouth (I know it sounds funny), so I would use walnuts. We eat a lot of pasta in this house.
Hey, walnuts are good too! 🙂
Thanks Liz!
Sometimes it is the simple things, I like how you took a family tradition and just elevated it a bit…
Thank you, Sophia!
Oh, gosh. All you have to say is “pesto pasta” and I’m sold. LOVE the addition of browned butter to this amazing-looking pasta. What a perfect weeknight meal! 🙂 pinned!
Thanks so much, Sarah!! Hope you had a great Thursday!
You had me at 20 minutes! I love simple pasta as well.
Thank you so much!
super impressed that you made dried spaghetti look so cool. I also love how you captured the steam coming off the draining noodles. How’d you do that?!
Thank you so much!! You have to shoot backlight or to the side with dark background. Also a hight shutter speed in needed too.
I had pastina before baby food (the joys of growing up Italian) and it’s been a love affair ever since…I like this recipe because you can eat it hot or room temp so it’s perfect when not everyone makes it to dinner at the same time. I just planted my basil plants so this recipe is in my future.
Ha! That is awesome!
Thank you!
Whether dressed up or down I always dig pasta! This one is fab 🙂
Thanks Katrina!
This recipe is simple yet profound! I am a total basil freak too. Last year I planted 24 basil plants and scary fact, it all got used!
Pasta has won my heart over, especially when it’s raining here in the greater Niagara Falls area.
and 20 minutes? stun me again!
Thanks so much, Laura!! And 24 basil plants?!? That is amazing!
Love that this doesn’t have to be made with the food processor. This is a comfort food to me as well, nothing better than pasta!
Tieghan – I made this pesto this afternoon … I had to – I couldn’t wait. It is sooo good – I can’t wait for dinner to make the whole pasta dish. I love that this can be made ahead of time, then when it’s time to eat, just boil up some water for the pasta! Quick and easy meal.
Ya!! So happy you loved it, Kathy! Thanks!
Thanks!
I read 20 mins, brown butter, pesto and pasta and got really excited. These are all my fav flavours and I totally love dressing pasta down! I could curl up in those noodles and be one happy girl! Pinned!
Thanks Taylor!
This dish is gorgeous. I remember eating pasta with parmesan cheese and butter growing up. Pasta is definitely still my favorite food and you’re right- some of the best recipes are the simplest. I hate washing the food processor too…why does it have to be like that?! So many partsssss!