Fettuccini Ala Pesto Recipe

Roast tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until blistered and slightly collapsed, 12–15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt per 4 quarts water) to a rolling boil. Add fettuccini and cook according to package until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package). Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

In the same pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add baby spinach and sauté just until wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and the optional crushed red pepper flakes. Return drained pasta to the pot with the spinach and toss briefly to combine and warm through.

Make pesto

In a food processor, combine basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan, garlic cloves, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, stream in 1/4 cup olive oil until a thick paste forms.

Finish sauce

Transfer the pesto paste to a bowl and whisk in the heavy cream until smooth and homogenous. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper if needed. The sauce should be creamy and loose enough to coat pasta; if too thick, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.

Combine pasta and sauce: Pour the creamy pesto into the pot with the pasta and wilted spinach. Add the roasted tomatoes (including any juices) and 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Toss gently over low heat until pasta is evenly coated and heated through, about 1–2 minutes.

Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste and add additional salt, pepper or lemon juice as desired. Divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and garnish with basil leaves if using. Serve immediately.