If you think pesto pasta is good, just wait until you try this Trenette al Pesto—the way they do it in Liguria. It’s tossed with silky basil pesto, tender potatoes, and crisp green beans, and the best part? It all cooks in one pot. Watching Luca recently took me right back to my time in Italy, where I first had this dish. Traditionally, it’s finished with toasted pine nuts and extra Parmesan. Simple, vibrant, and packed with flavor—this is how pesto pasta was meant to be!
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The Italian pesto pasta almost too good to share!
The first time I had trenette al pesto was at a tiny trattoria in Genoa, watching an elderly nonna in the kitchen toss steaming pasta with the brightest green pesto I’d ever seen. The smell alone was enough to make me forget I’d already eaten my weight in focaccia earlier that day.
This dish is classic Ligurian comfort food, and what makes it special is the simplicity: tender pasta, soft potatoes, and crisp green beans, all coated in a velvety basil pesto. It’s hearty but light, rich but fresh—the kind of meal that feels like a warm hug after a long day. And the best part? It comes together in just 30 minutes. Have extra pesto? Just make a delicious pesto flatbread!
📋 Ingredients and notes
You’ll need trenette, potatoes, green beans, Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, salt and black pepper in addition to basil pesto.
Notes and Variations
- Homemade pesto brings a whole new level of flavor to the recipe, but you can definitely just buy the pesto in a pinch!
- Trenette is a long pasta that’s very similar to linguine. If you can’t find trenette, you can totally use linguine.
- This recipe uses both types of cheeses (make sure they’re vegetarian!) – but you can use just one if you want.
P.S., Check out my pesto alla Genovese recipe for all the tips to make the best homemade pesto, or make this vegan kale pesto! If you want something a bit non-traditional, you can also try this pea shoot pesto or even my broccoli pesto! All are delicious!
Shruthi’s Top Tip
Never heat pesto directly! High heat ruins its fresh, aromatic flavor and can make the cheese clump. Instead, drain the pasta, return it to the warm pot (off the heat), and toss with the pesto and pasta water until creamy and well-coated.
- Pesto should coat the pasta, not sit in a puddle. Before draining, reserve at least ½ cup of starchy pasta water. Stir in a little at a time while tossing to get the perfect consistency—glossy and silky, never greasy or watery.
- To take this to the next level, instead of just cubing and draining the potatoes, lightly mash some of the boiled potatoes into the pasta before tossing with pesto. This creates a creamier, more cohesive sauce that clings to the noodles instead of sliding off.
- Fresh basil oxidizes quickly, turning pesto dull and brown. To keep it bright green, briefly blanch the basil (5 seconds in boiling water, then ice water) before blending. Pat it completely dry to prevent excess water from diluting the sauce.
📖 How to make trenette al pesto
Step 1:
Peel potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Chop up green beans into small segments. Add salt to water in a large pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the potatoes to the pot of water and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Then, add trenette (or linguine) and cook based on package directions. Add the green beans with 5 minutes to spare. Reserve some pasta water from the pot.
Step 2:
If you’re using store bought pesto, you can skip this step. Otherwise, add basil (or one of these basil substitutes), garlic cloves, parmesan, and a pinch of salt to a food processor or mortar and pulse into a coarse mixture. Slowly add olive oil to emulsify into pesto.
Step 3:
Drain the pasta and vegetables into a bowl. Add pesto and toss evenly. Serve with some grated parmesan and basil leaves or dry basil for garnish!
🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
Serve this trenette al pesto straight from the pot while it’s still warm and glossy. A little extra Parmesan and a handful of toasted pine nuts on top add the perfect finishing touch. I love pairing it with a simple salad or some crusty bread to scoop up every last bit of sauce. And if you really want to go all in, pour yourself a glass of chilled white wine!
You can store this pasta in the fridge for up to a day, but I recommend making it fresh if possible!
More pasta recipes
Cottage Cheese Flatbread
Leek and Mushroom Pasta
Eggplant Stir Fry
Vegan Fajitas
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trenette al Pesto
Ingredients
Homemade Pesto
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1½ cups basil
- ⅓ cup Parmesan, substitute Grana Padano, freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Trenette al Pesto
- ½ tablespoon salt, for pasta water
- ⅓ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, ~3 medium sized
- ½ lb trenette , substitute linguine or bavette
- ¼ lb green beans
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
Make Homemade Pesto (Optional)
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until lightly golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. In a food processor, pulse pine nuts and garlic until finely chopped. Add basil, Parmesan, and salt, and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until a smooth, emulsified sauce forms. Set aside. Alternatively, use 1/2 cup of store-bought pesto.
Cook Pasta & Vegetables
- Bring 2–3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and potatoes, cooking for 4 minutes.
- Add trenette pasta and cook according to package instructions.
- When 5 minutes remain, add green beans to the pot. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain pasta and vegetables.
Assemble Pasta
- In a large bowl, toss the pasta and vegetables with the pesto, adding pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce.
- Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.
Notes
- Trenette is traditional, but linguine or bavette work well. Avoid spaghetti, which doesn’t hold the sauce as well.
- Add them 5 minutes before the pasta is done to keep them bright and slightly crisp.
- Before draining, save ¼ cup pasta water to loosen the pesto and help it coat the pasta evenly.
- Use ½ cup of high-quality store-bought pesto and stir in a little extra Parmesan and olive oil for better flavor. For bright green pesto, use dry basil or blanch it for 5 seconds before blending.
- Lightly mashing a few cubes of potatoes into the pasta makes the sauce extra creamy and cohesive.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
