Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 4
Vibrant, fresh, and bursting with citrusy pine flavors, Spruce Tip Pesto Pasta is a wild-foraged twist on a classic! 🌲✨ The tender young tips of spruce trees add a zesty, herbal depth to this creamy pesto, making it a uniquely refreshing yet comforting dish. Perfect for an adventurous, sustainable meal!
Ingredients For Spruce Tip Pesto Pasta
🔥For the Spruce Tip Pesto:
☑ 1 cup fresh spruce tips (young, tender, and bright green) 🌲
☑ ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts 🌰
☑ 2 cloves garlic 🧄
☑ ½ cup olive oil 🫒
☑ ¼ cup grated Parmesan (or nutritional yeast for vegan) 🧀
☑ 1 teaspoon🥄 lemon zest 🍋
☑ 2 tablespoons🥄 fresh lemon juice 🍋
☑ ½ teaspoon🥄 sea salt 🧂
☑ ¼ teaspoon🥄 black pepper ✨
🔥For the Pasta:
☑ 12 oz spaghetti or tagliatelle 🍝
☑ ½ cup reserved pasta water 💧
☑ Extra Parmesan & fresh herbs for garnish 🌿
👩🍳 Cooking Steps Spruce Tip Pesto Pasta
🔥 Step 1: Make the Spruce Tip Pesto
1️⃣ In a food processor, blend spruce tips, walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, and lemon zest until finely chopped.
2️⃣ Slowly drizzle in olive oil while blending until smooth.
3️⃣ Stir in lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
🔥 Step 2: Cook the Pasta
1️⃣ Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.
2️⃣ Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
🔥 Step 3: Toss & Serve
1️⃣ In a pan over low heat, toss pasta with spruce tip pesto.
2️⃣ Add reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to create a creamy sauce.
3️⃣ Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, black pepper, and fresh herbs.
🌲 Bright, nutty, and naturally refreshing—Spruce Tip Pesto Pasta is a forager’s dream meal! 🌿✨ Try this wild and sustainable twist on a classic dish today
🌍 Craving More Extreme Culinary Adventures? If you’re fascinated by rare and ancient food traditions, explore our guide to Jhal Muri: Kolkata’s Iconic Spicy Puffed Rice Snack! You Need to Try! with Indigenous Roots for the Adventurous Food Lover.
Discover rare culinary experiences at Good Food and More—where every recipe is a journey through heritage, craftsmanship, and unforgettable flavors.
