After making a big batch of homemade shiso pesto, I can’t help but to share the easiest Shiso Pesto Pasta (大葉ジェノベーゼパスタ) recipe with you. This is my family’s current favorite and the kind of dinner you can throw together under 15 minutes.
Why You’ll Love Shiso Pesto Pasta
The pasta itself is a a breeze to make, but we also LOVE it for many reasons:
It’s earthy, bold, bright, and everything you need in a summer pasta bowl. Enjoy chilled like a salad or warm (year-round)!A satisfying vegetarian meal – thanks to the richness of the pesto sauce and the carbs. Super flexible – you can add grilled chicken, shrimp, or in-season veggies to volumize. Perfect for weeknight dinners, summer picnics, potlucks, barbecues, and gatherings!
Now Let’s Make Shiso Pesto First…
To enjoy the pasta, you’ll first need to make my Homemade Shiso Pesto (takes less than 10 minutes). It calls for the aromatic Japanese herb known as green shiso leaves or perilla leaves. If you missed it, you can get the Shiso Pesto recipe here. All you really need to do is a quick whirl of shiso leaves, Parmesan, pine nuts, and a glug of good olive oil in the food processor. For those of you who can’t get shiso, I listed several substitutions for the pesto sauce, so do check that out.
How to Make Shiso Pesto Pasta
Ingredients You’ll Need
Homemade shiso pestoPasta of your choice ( I used Gemelli in this recipe)SaltParmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese
Overview: Cooking Steps
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.Reserve 2-4 Tbsp pasta cooking water.Drain and let the pasta cool slightly.Coat the pasta with shiso pesto and add a little bit of pasta cooking water.Sprinkle cheese and serve!
Quick Tips to Remember Before Cooking
Cook pasta with well-salted water – Pasta should be seasoned while being cooked.Reserve the pasta cooking water (if you don’t have the habit already) – Always reserve at least 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. It’s helpful when you need to loosen the sauce.Let the pasta cool slightly – To keep the pesto’s bright green color, don’t mix the hot pasta with pesto.Additional cheese is a must!
What to Serve with Shiso Pesto Pasta
In case you or someone in the family wants some substantial addition to the pasta, feel free to toss in:
Prosciutto or chopped bacon Grilled chicken, shrimp, zucchini, peppers, or meaty mushroomsAvocado slices, sweet juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, or salty olivesBesides shavings of Parmesan, pearls of fresh mozzarella would be delicious too
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