Light Lemon Pesto Pasta Recipes

LEMON PESTO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• To toast the pine nuts, tip 1 tablespoon of the nuts into a dry saute pan over medium-high heat and toast, tossing constantly, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Add a generous pinch of flaky sea salt to a large saucepan of boiling water. Add the spaghetti and cook as per packet instructions. It should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
• For the pesto, put 2 cups basil, the remaining 1/3 cup pine nuts, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice into a food processor. Blitz until everything is well blended.
• When the pasta is just cooked (al dente) drain it in a colander. Add the pesto to the saucepan then tip the pasta back in. Stir well to make sure every strand of pasta is coated in the pesto.
• Tip into a large family-style serving dish, garnish with the toasted pine nuts and a few basil leaves.

LEMON PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Pan cook three chicken breasts. While doing that bring water to boil and cook pasta for 9-10 minutes. When pasta has about 3 minutes left, toss in broccoli.
• Drain off pasta and broccoli and place in bowl; cut chicken into bit size pieces and toss into bowl with pasta.
• Pour olive oil, basil pesto and juice of one lemon into bowl and stir until pasta is coated thoroughly. Sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese over top and serve.

LIGHT LEMON BASIL PASTA

Steps:

• First, finely chop about half a large onion and mince or press about four large cloves of garlic (organic, of course).
• Second, take about a handful of organic basil (I hate to admit I don't wash this because it is harder to mince) and then finely chop the basil.
• Third, shred about half to three-quarters cup of parmesan reggiano.
• Fourth, start a pot of boiling salted water.
• Open two cans of chicken broth (I like Ralphs because it is less sodium than Stater Bros.).
• Place about one large heaping tablespoon of cornstarch in a short water glass or coffee cup.
• Saute onion only over medium heat in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add about three or four shakes of ground white pepper (maybe a bit more if you like it spicy). After about two minutes of saute process, add garlic and continue to stir and heat for another one minute. This brings out flavor of garlic. Then add about 3/4 cup of white wine and raise heat to "high" to deglaze the pan. Boil to reduce the liquid until it is nearly gone.
• Add one can of chicken stock, keeping heat at high. Stir the pan to make sure that all accumulated flavor on side of pan is combined with liquid. Boil this down by about half. Then add most of the second can and boil down again by about 1/3.
• While the sauce is finishing, add pasta to boiling water.
• Using the balance of the unused can of chicken stock, slowly pour into the glass of cornstarch stirring to blend the powder into a paste and then add more stock to make it a thick cornstarch liquid. Add this liquid slowly to the sauce, stirring in to incorporate about 15 seconds after pouring. Continue to heat on medium heat until sauce has thickened slightly (won't be much thicker than a heavy liquid) - this won't take much more than 45 seconds. Turn off heat. Add juice from about 1 lemon, more or less if desired. Stir to blend lemon. Set aside.
• Drain pasta. Place in bowls. Add basil to each bowl of dry pasta. Mix. Add a bit of sauce. Mix. Then add a bit of cheese. Mix. Add more sauce and cheese and fresh ground black pepper on top.

LEMON & GREENS PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli for 4 mins in boiling salted water. Drain, then put in a food processor along with the basil, spinach and pine nuts. Pulse until combined.
• Stir in the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, peas, parmesan and soft cheese, and season to taste.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan and add the pesto along with a splash of water to loosen. Toss together, check the seasoning and serve.