Gluten Free Pasta Genovese with Pesto
This is a classic Ligurian-style pasta dish that feels genuinely special — the kind of meal that looks impressive but comes together in a single pot with straightforward technique. Tender Yukon Gold potatoes and snappy green beans cook right alongside the pasta, soaking up all that salty, starchy water before everything gets tossed together in a vibrant homemade basil pesto. The pesto itself is blended from fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and good olive oil, so every bite is bright, herby, and rich without relying on anything processed or packaged. Using gluten free pasta here is seamless — the starchy cooking water reserved before draining is what helps the pesto loosen into a glossy sauce that clings beautifully to every strand. It's one of those recipes where the swap is completely invisible on the plate. Serve it immediately with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a little extra Parmesan for a dinner that feels like a proper restaurant bowl. Makes four generous servings, and it's the kind of dish people will ask you to make again.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pasta
- 12 oz gluten free pasta (spaghetti or linguine-style)
Chef's tipGluten-free pasta often cooks faster, so check it a little early to avoid becoming mushy.Chef's tipGluten-free pasta often cooks faster, so check it a little early to avoid becoming mushy. - 8 oz yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 6 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2–3 tbsp reserved pasta cooking water
For serving
- extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
- parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the pesto: combine the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor or blender. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and bright green. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt generously — the water should taste pleasantly salty. Add the potato cubes and cook for 8 minutes, until just beginning to turn tender at the edges but still firm at the center.
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