Go Back

Dandelion Greens Pesto Pasta

Dandelion greens pesto pasta with a vibrant, blender-made sauce coats every strand and tastes slightly bitter with a garlicky kick. Cook pasta to al dente, toss with glossy pesto, and loosen with reserved pasta water for a silky finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta
  • 12 oz pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
Greens and herbs
  • 2 cup fresh dandelion greens, packed, tough stems removed
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
Pesto base
  • 0.333 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 0.25 cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts
  • 2 cloves garlic
Pesto seasonings
  • 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.5 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Tossing
  • 0.5 cup reserved pasta water

Equipment

  • 1 food processor

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
Make dandelion pesto
  1. Add dandelion greens, basil, toasted walnuts or pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a food processor. Pulse 5–6 times until coarsely chopped.
  2. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  3. Taste the pesto and adjust salt and lemon juice as needed.
Toss and serve
  1. Transfer drained pasta back to the pot over low heat. Add pesto and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water.
  2. Toss vigorously until pasta is evenly coated and the sauce looks glossy, adding more pasta water 1 tbsp at a time if needed to loosen.
  3. Plate immediately and top with extra Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few toasted walnuts. Serve hot.

Notes

For best flavor, use dandelion greens with tougher stems removed and consider blanching 30–60 seconds if they taste very bitter. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of pasta water or olive oil. Freezing is not recommended because pesto texture can break. If you want a lighter option, replace half the olive oil with extra water or additional lemon juice for a thinner, fresher sauce.