
Cavatelli Pesto Recipe
Creamy basil pesto tossed with cavatelli and roasted red peppers
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Pasta
Pesto
Roasted Red Peppers
Method
Pasta Preparation
Boil Water
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook Cavatelli
Add the cavatelli pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually about 7-9 minutes.
Drain Pasta
Once cooked, drain the pasta and reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Pesto Preparation
Combine Ingredients
In a food processor, combine the fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper.
Chop Mixture
Pulse the mixture until it is finely chopped.
Add Olive Oil
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
Add Lemon Juice
Add the lemon juice and pulse a few more times to combine.
Combine and Serve
Toss Pasta and Pesto
In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked cavatelli with the pesto, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
Add Roasted Peppers
Gently fold in the sliced roasted red peppers.
Serve
Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.