Sunflower-Basil Pesto Tagliatelle for Two

A homemade sunflower seed and basil pesto shines in this romantic tagliatelle pasta dish for two that's perfect for date night, or any weeknight.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 1207 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 cup packed fresh basil
• 8 ounces tagliatelle pasta
• 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 medium yellow onion, diced
• 0.33333334326744 teaspoon sea salt
• 0.75 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 0.25 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley
• 0.25 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine basil, parsley, oil, sunflower seeds, Pecorino cheese, lemon juice, garlic, and salt for pesto in a food processor; process until desired texture is reached. Reserve 4 tablespoons pesto for pasta dish; save remaining pesto for another use.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes until things start bubbling and popping; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add onions, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir for 4 minutes.

Step 4

Drain tagliatelle, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water; transfer pasta immediately into the skillet. Add 4 tablespoons pesto and reserved pasta water; toss everything together until pesto is evenly distributed.

Step 5

Remove from heat and toss together with Pecorino and lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if desired.