Recipes › Sauce › Pepita Pesto Recipe

Pepita Pesto Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This vibrant green pasta dish swaps traditional pine nuts for roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), creating a nuttier, more herbaceous pesto with Italian roots modernized through accessible ingredients. The creamy, emerald sauce coats fresh pasta beautifully while maintaining the bright basil character classic to the Liguria region. Finished with Pecorino Romano and a drizzle of quality olive oil, it's a simple yet elegant main course ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 400g fresh egg pasta (tagliatelle or pappardelle)
• 150g fresh basil leaves, packed
• 100g roasted unsalted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 60g Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 120ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 30ml fresh lemon juice
• 8g fine sea salt
• 2g freshly ground black pepper
• 2g red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, approximately 3-4 minutes for fresh pasta. Reserve 200ml pasta water before draining.

2. While pasta cooks, place basil leaves, roasted pepitas, minced garlic, and lemon juice into a food processor bowl.

3. Pulse the mixture 4-5 times until the pepitas are roughly chopped and basil is coarsely broken down—avoid over-processing to maintain texture.

4. Slowly drizzle in 120ml of olive oil while pulsing, stopping occasionally to scrape down the processor sides. The mixture should resemble coarse sand with flecks of green, not a smooth paste.

5. Transfer pesto to a large mixing bowl. Fold in Pecorino Romano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

6. Add the drained hot pasta directly to the pesto bowl and toss gently, adding pasta water 30ml at a time until the pesto coats each strand with a loose, silky consistency—typically 60-90ml total.

7. Divide into four bowls, drizzle lightly with additional olive oil, and serve immediately while still warm.

Substitutions

• Use roasted sunflower seeds instead of pepitas for a milder flavor and similar nutritional profile
• Substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano for Pecorino Romano if a less sharp cheese is preferred
• Replace fresh basil with a mix of 75g fresh spinach and 75g fresh basil to stretch the pesto further and reduce cost
• Use gluten-free pasta for those with celiac disease, maintaining the same cooking time

Tips

• Do not fully blend the pesto—it should retain some texture and visible pieces of pepitas for authentic Italian pesto style, which differs from smooth commercial versions
• Reserve extra pasta water before draining; the starch helps emulsify the oil and creates a silky sauce that clings better to the noodles
• Toast your own pepitas at home if starting from raw seeds: toss with light salt and roast at 160°C (320°F) for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, for superior flavor and crunch
• Serve immediately on warmed bowls to keep the pesto vibrant green and the pasta at optimal temperature

Pesto originated in Liguria, northwestern Italy, particularly in Genoa, traditionally made with pine nuts, basil, garlic, olive oil, and cheese. This pepita variation honors the traditional method while reflecting modern pantry accessibility and sustainability—pepitas are increasingly used in contemporary Italian kitchens as creative cooks adapt classic recipes with locally available or preferred ingredients.

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