Move over tuna casserole! This stove-top tuna pasta made with pantry ingredients can be on…
Lemon-Pesto and Clams Pasta
Dinner – 25 minutes flat! Purchased pesto, canned clams and a spritz of lemon make a one-pot pasta meal in minutes. (yeah, less dish washing!) Fresh lemon juice and zest brighten the brininess of the clams, and add a twist to traditional pesto. In summer when basil is abundant it’s nice to wiz up homemade pesto in a blender – just basil leaves, Parmesan, salt, garlic and olive oil – but this time of year, or when you’re in a hurry there are many prepared options available. I buy Trader Joe’s Genova brand refrigerated pesto. I developed this recipe for a project with my friend Rita at Golden Grain pasta many years ago. She is still saying how much she likes it!
Lemon-Pesto and Clams Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked fettuccine, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta
- 3/4 cup prepared pesto
- 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
- 2 cans (6.5oz each) chopped or minced clams, undrained
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, or more to taste
- Shredded Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- COOK pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a small dish combine 1/4 cup pesto with lemon zest. Set aside.
- DRAIN cooked pasta in a colander leaving some moisture on pasta; do not rinse. Leave in colander and cover with a lid to keep warm.
- In the same pot used for pasta, heat clams and lemon juice over medium-high heat. Simmer 2 minutes until liquid is slightly reduced.
- REDUCE heat to low and stir in remaining 1/2 cup pesto.
- ADD pasta to clam sauce. Stir until heated through. Top each serving with a spoonful of lemon-pesto and pass Parmesan separately.
Recipe developed by Rosemary Mark for Golden Grain Pasta.
Yumm. You’ve inspired me to make this for dinner tomorrow or Friday! Fortunately, I always have a container of pesto in my freezer, and the other ingredients are among my kitchen staples.
This recipe was done for Golden Grain in 2002. Time flies!