Garlic Confit Pesto Pasta
Aug 08, 2023
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Pesto pasta is a pantry staple, and even some people’s signature dish when they don’t know what to cook. This recipe takes this basic dinner to a new level by adding my famous oven roasted garlic confit; and it will blow your taste buds away! This garlic confit pesto pasta may be your new favourite dinner.
If you love garlic as much as I do, you'll definitely want to bookmark these other recipes for garlic confit chicken wings and tomato and garlic confit pasta!
Long time readers will know about my passion for garlic confit--and, for good reason! This simple way of preparing garlic brings a remarkable flavour to toast, salad, or eggs, and adds a beautiful savoury bite to everyday dishes like this garlic confit pesto pasta.
Sometimes, pesto has a bad rap, as people equate it to badly made store-bought sauces that lack flavour (you know, the type that uni students turn to in a pinch). But when pesto is made with love and patience, there’s simply nothing better!
Ingredients
With simple dishes like this, it’s all about using high quality ingredients to get the best possible flavours and textures. Here's some tips on choosing the key ingredients for this garlic confit pesto pasta.
- Basil: Be sure to use fresh basil leaves. If you have a basil plant in your garden and can pick your own, that's even better!
- Olive Oil: Use the best quailty extra virgin olive oil that you can find. I love using olive oil from my friends at the Cobram Estate.
- Cheese: No pasta (in my mind) is complete without lots of cheese. And I mean lots. So, for this one, I’ve used a bougie bit of burrata right on top that oozes out its silky, creaminess and mixes perfectly into a warm pasta. This step isn’t crucial, but I certainly wouldn’t miss it.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Use toasted pine nuts in the pesto for a little extra flavour.
- Sprinkle a few chilli flakes into the pesto for a subtle kick of spice.
- Add halved kalamata olives or chopped roasted red peppers to the dish at the end for extra colour and flavour.
How to Make Garlic Confit Pesto Pasta
- Make the garlic confit. Peel the garlic, then place it in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle generously with salt. Cover with olive oil and bake for 2 hours, then let it cool. Drain the cloves and set aside the olive oil.
- Prepare the pesto. Remove the basil leaves from the stems and soak them in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Mash the garlic confit along with some salt using a mortar and pestle, then add the pine nuts and mash into a paste. Gradually add the basil leaves, then add the cheese and stir in some of the reserved olive oil to get the pesto to your desired consistency.
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until it's al dente, or at your preferred tenderness. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, then toss the pasta with the pesto. Gradually add the pasta water until you have a silky smooth sauce.
- Serve the pasta in bowls, and garnish with fresh basil and a generous amount of burrata (and chilli flakes if you like!). Enjoy right away.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, pesto will keep for several days in the fridge. Simply place the pesto in an airtight container and pour enough olive oil on the top so that it's 1-2 cm deep. This will keep the pesto fresh and prevent the leaves from browning.
The ice water shocks the basil leaves and helps keep them green. It's a simple step that takes only 5 minutes, but makes your pesto much prettier!
I recommend using the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find. My favourite olive oil is produced by Cobram Estate, and I recommend that you try theirs for this recipe!
Serving Garlic Confit Pesto Pasta
Looking for a couple other simple dishes to round out this quick weeknight meal? I love serving this garlic confit pesto pasta along with a slice of hearty bread and a colorful side like these quick and easy garlicky green beans or balsamic roasted carrots. Finish off your meal with a blueberry and lemon galette for a sweet treat!
Expert Tips
- I used a mortar and pestle for my pesto, but if you’re missing this kitchen tool or are pressed for time, a food processor also works. Whizzing the pesto into a fine paste can take some patience using a mortar and pestle, but it’s important to do this so it coats the noodles evenly.
- Tweak the pesto to suit your tastes, whether it’s adding in some chilli flakes for a kick or lemon juice for some acidity. This recipe is a great starting point; let your imagination take flight!
Other Pasta Recipes You'll Love
Have questions or want to leave a review? Please do so below the recipe card! I always love answering your questions and hearing your feedback.
If you make this recipe, please follow me and tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok, or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
Garlic Confit Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
For the Garlic Confit
- 2 bulbs garlic, peeled
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- flaky sea salt
For the Pesto
- garlic confit
- garlic infused olive oil, from the confit
- 1 cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1.4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 0.7 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
For the Pasta
- 9 ounces dried pasta, such as pipette or rigatoni
- salt, to taste
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking the pasta
For Garnish
- 4.5 ounces buratta
Instructions
Making the Garlic Confit
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 265°F (130°C).
- Peel Garlic: Separate the cloves in the garlic bulbs and place in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let it stand for 5 minutes, then drain and peel. (Soaking the garlic loosens the skins, making them easy to peel off.)
- Bake: Place the garlic cloves and a generous amount of salt into an ovenproof dish and cover with olive oil, ensuring that the garlic is fully submerged in olive oil so it does not burn. Roast for 2 hours; the oil will bubble slightly as it cooks. Set aside to cool briefly.
- Drain: Remove the garlic cloves from the oil, then reserve the oil for later.
Making the Pesto
- Soak Basil: Remove the basil leaves from the stems and soak them in a bowl of iced water for 5 minutes. Remove and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Toast the pinenuts: In a dry pan on a medium heat, toast the pinenuts until slightly golden and they have a nutty aroma.
- Make a Paste: Place the cooked garlic cloves and a generous sprinkle of sea salt into a mortar and pestle and crush until a paste forms. Add the pine nuts and pound until they are broken down but still have some texture to them. Add the basil leaves in three or four batches and pound until you have a bright green paste.
- Add Cheese & Oil: Add the grated Pecorino Romano and Parmesan in three batches, mixing well between each addition. Gradually stir in the reserved olive oil until the pesto is at a consistency you like.
Finishing the Dish
- Cook Pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt and stir until it's dissolved. Cook the pasta until it's al dente, then drain it, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- Mix: Toss the pasta with the pesto, and slowly drizzle in the pasta water until you have a smooth and silky sauce. You may not need the full cup of pasta water, so do this step in batches.
- Serve: Transfer the pasta to individual bowls and top each serving with burrata, basil leaves, and chili flakes if you desire. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I used a mortar and pestle for my pesto, but if you’re missing this kitchen tool or are pressed for time, a food processor also works. Whizzing the pesto into a fine paste can take some patience using a mortar and pestle, but it’s important to do this so it coats the noodles evenly.
- Tweak the pesto to suit your tastes, whether it’s adding in some chilli flakes for a kick or lemon juice for some acidity. This recipe is a great starting point; let your imagination take flight!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Garlic and pesto is a wonderful flavour combination that goes beautifully with pasta. I'm getting hungry just looking at these photos! I love that the sauce doesn't require any extra work--using the pasta water is a great idea. The starch in the water is really the secret to having a lovely sauce!
Wow like it
Thank you!