Crisp, summery, onion flavour with fresh basil and lemon undertones – Scallion and Basil Pesto Spaghetti is bound to be your new favourite pasta! Simple ingredients, quick and easy to prepare, this pesto fits into any dietary preference and is bursting with flavour!
SCALLION AND BASIL PESTO SPAGHETTI
Who ever thought that one could whip up a summer fresh pesto so quickly, so easily, and so cheaply!? Scallion and Basil Pesto Spaghetti is about to put a little taste of summer on your table and money back into your wallet where it belongs.
Toss this pesto with your favourite cooked pasta – it doesn’t need to be spaghetti at all! – and you’ve got a dinner fit for royalty – or at the least, your family and preferred friends.
SCALLIONS VS GREEN ONIONS
I learned something new when thinking about a name for this recipe. Did you know that scallions are commonly known throughout the world by various names. These names include spring onion, green onion, salad onion, onion stick, long onion, etc.
Whether you call them green onions or scallions – and many people argue there’s a huge difference – in essence, they are the same and both will work great in this recipe. For me, I’m referring to them as scallions if only for the fact that I want an impressive recipe title to accompany an equally impressive pesto!
USE THE FRESHEST PRODUCE YOU CAN FIND
When preparing this recipe, like most recipes, you’ll want to use the freshest ingredients you can find. I always err on the side of fresh is best when a recipe has very few ingredients. You really do want the flavours to be bright and present. Most local grocery stores will have fresh scallions, basil and chives on hand at any time of the year. And, if you’re lucky enough to have a little garden of your own, I hear these ingredients are extremely easy to grow.
Because of inconsistency in the size of basil leaves and the girth/length of scallions, I’ve listed the ingredients in measurements as to avoid any risk of extra thick or soupy pesto results. In addition, you can make this pesto a vegan version by substituting the parmesan for nutritional yeast. Easy!
MORE PESTO USE OPTIONS
Now that you have this pesto, what are you going to do with it? Yes, obviously, as with most pesto sauce, a pasta is the most likely choice. But, I encourage you to try something new. Try basting a chicken or beef skewer with the pesto just in the last few minutes of grill time. Or try tossing some with some roasted potatoes for a lovely summer potato salad.
And, don’t forget, nearly all vegetables pair well with onion – smear this pesto on grilled corn for probably the best grilled corn you’ve ever eaten! And if simple is more your style, this pesto makes a fantastic crostini topping as well!
Scallion and Basil Pesto Spagetti
Ingredients
Pesto Ingredients:
- 4 cups scallions, chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
To Prepare Pasta:
- 450 grams cooked spaghetti, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, optional
Instructions
- Add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Transfer pesto sauce to a clean, sterile mason jar and secure with a clean lid and seal.
- Refrigerate 12 hours until ingredients marry together. This pesto can be used immediately, but allowing the pesto to sit results in a better taste.
- Pesto will last up to seven days if kept in the refrigerator.
- When ready, cook your spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and add back to the pot. With the heat on medium high, pour in the pesto onto the paste and use tongs to toss and coat.
- Serve hot with dried red chili flakes, parmesan cheese, and chives for garnish.
Nutrition
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
I love the vibrant color of this pasta dish – it makes me want to dive right in!
Penelopi says
This recipe looks so good! Can I substitute scallions with anything else?
Cheers from Greece 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Substituting the scallions with another ingredient would completely change the recipe and the flavour profile since scallions are one of the main ingredients to the dish.