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Bon Appétit

Bucatini With Walnut-Parsley Pesto

By Chris Morocco

5.0

(6)

Image may contain Food Pasta Spaghetti Plant and Noodle
Photo by Nicole Franzen

That parsley in your fridge is lonely! Let it hang with chiles and walnuts for your next weeknight pasta.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    30 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup walnuts
6 pickled Calabrian chiles or 1 Fresno chile with seeds
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound bucatini or spaghetti

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

    Step 2

    Pulse 3/4 cup walnuts in a food processor or blender until very finely chopped (but not pasty). Reserve remaining walnuts for serving. Remove stems from chiles; add to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer walnut mixture to a medium bowl and stir in garlic, Parmesan, oil, and 1 cup parsley. Season pesto with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot and add pesto along with 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding splashes of cooking liquid as needed, until pesto coats pasta and sauce is glossy.

    Step 4

    Crush reserved walnuts with the flat side of a knife. Divide pasta among bowls and top with walnuts and more parsley.

  2. Do Ahead

    Step 5

    Pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

TagsPastaBucatiniSpaghettiWalnutNutCalabrian ChileChileVegetableParmesanCheeseDairyParsleyHerbs & SpicesMainStarterDinnerDairy FreeVegetarian30 Minutes or LessFood ProcessorBlenderBon Appétit

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