I Make Giada De Laurentiis' Famous Pasta on the Busiest Weeknights—It’s So Good

How I Make Giada's White Pesto Pasta

At least once a week, I find myself struggling to come up with a dinner idea for my family. In those moments, I rely on a few quick and easy recipes that I can make without much effort. One of my favorites is Giada De Laurentiis' white pesto pasta, a creamy and flavorful dish that can be prepared in under 15 minutes.

I've made this pasta many times, and it never fails to impress. The combination of toasted walnuts, ricotta cheese, and Parmesan creates a rich and satisfying sauce that clings perfectly to any pasta shape. And the best part? You don't even need to make a side dish—it's a complete meal on its own.

How to Make Giada's White Pesto Pasta

To make Giada's white pesto pasta, start by filling a wide lidded pot or braiser with water and generously salt it. The wider the pot, the faster the water will boil. Cover the pot with a lid to help it boil more quickly. Once the water comes to a boil, add a pound of pasta. I recommend using a pasta shape with ridged edges, like farfalle or fusilli, as it helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the white pesto sauce. In a food processor, pulse a cup of toasted walnuts until finely ground. If you're using raw walnuts, make sure to toast them first. Add one cup each of ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, half a cup of olive oil, two cloves of garlic, zest from one lemon, and a teaspoon of kosher salt to the food processor. Process until all the ingredients are well combined.

Before draining the cooked pasta, save a cup of the pasta water. This water will be used to thin the pesto sauce. Once the pasta is drained, return it to the pot and add the white pesto sauce. Pour in the reserved pasta water and use tongs to toss the pasta and sauce together. If you like, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pasta and top it with fresh basil leaves for added flavor.

Alternative Ways to Make the White Pesto Pasta

If you don't have a food processor, you can still make the white pesto sauce. Finely chop the walnuts using a chef's knife and cutting board or put them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Grate the garlic finely using a Microplane. Combine the ground walnuts, grated garlic, and the remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir vigorously until well combined.

Not a fan of walnuts or have an allergy? No problem. You can use alternatives like toasted pine nuts, blanched almonds, or cashews in place of walnuts. Just make sure to grind the almonds as finely as possible to avoid a gritty texture in the sauce. If you choose to skip the nuts altogether, you can double the amount of grated Parmesan cheese for a rich and cheesy pesto sauce.