Maria Menounos's Pesto Pasta Recipe Is as Easy as It Is Delicious

Maria Menounos certainly knows her way around the kitchen. The gorgeous actress and TV correspondent recently uploaded an Instagram picture of a delicious bowl of penne with the caption, “In the mood for some pasta??? I looove making this one w/ homemade pesto!”

Fortunately for us, the recipe can be found in her new book The EveryGirl's Guide to Cooking ($16; amazon.com), which focuses on healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes for any night of the week.

“You can add more or less of any of these ingredients and taste-test as you go,” Menounos writes of the pasta and homemade pesto dish. She adds, “This makes more than enough pesto for 1 pound of pasta. Reserve the leftovers to spread on sandwiches or add to soups and stews. The sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator and in the freezer for a few months.” Try it for yourself using the recipe below.

Everyone Loves Pasta Pesto with August Tomatoes

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 lb pasta of your choice

5 cups packed fresh basil

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts

3 cloves garlic, smashed

Salt and black pepper

2 large tomatoes, chopped

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, saving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. In a blender, combine the basil, oil, cheese, nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Puree until blended and of the desired consistency.

3. In a large bowl, toss the pasta, reserved cooking water, and about 1 cup of the pesto. Toss in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.