Basil Butter Pasta

This is one of the better tasting versions of "pesto" I've ever tasted. It's nut-free and very light and silky tasting! Imagine a hybrid of buttered noodles and pesto pasta. LITERALLY SO EASY TOO! There are only 3 recipe steps, lol.

A few important notes about the recipe:
​

• I left parmesan out of the butter for those that wanted to keep things dairy free and use vegan butter. You could def add some if you want, or just save it for on top of the finished recipe
• I love to add spinach or kale for some extra nutrition now that my son Emmitt is eating solids - all about sneaking veggies into meals these days! The basil and garlic are so strong that they overpower any veggie taste.
• MAKES 1 CUP OF BASIL BUTTER!! There will be leftovers to use on whatever you would like (you're welcome!) Store in the fridge for up to two weeks or you can freeze it too for up to 6 months.

What you need:

• 1/2 lb of long shaped pasta (I used Barilla Fettuccine) 
• 1 cup of salted butter (two sticks) at room temperature
• 1-3 garlic cloves (depending on how much you like garlic! (I used 3 large cloves and it was very powerful)
• Fresh basil leaves - since leaves differ in size, it's hard to give a measurement! I used a hand full of large leaves. Start off with less and then taste test because you can always add more if needed.
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)


• *Optional, but highly recommended - parmesan cheese for topping
• *Optional - when I make this for Emmitt I also add a big handful of spinach for extra nutrition! I usually cook the spinach in a skillet until wilted and then I drain out the excess liquid until it's pretty dry. Blends right in!

What to do:

1. ​Blend the room temperature butter, garlic cloves, basil leaves and EVOO in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until mostly solid again (usually takes 1-2 hours.)
2. Once the butter is firmed up and you're ready to cook your pasta, bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions.
3. Scoop desired amount of butter (for 1/2 lb of pasta I used 4 tbsp) and melt it into the pasta with a splash of EVOO and hot pasta water. Top with parmesan cheese here and then garnish with a pretty basil leaf before serving!