Redolent of garlic, lemongrass, and pungent herbs, this Thai pesto makes a fabulous fusion dish when combined with linguine. Most of these ingredients, including the slender, hot Thai chile, are available in supermarkets. Thai basil can be found in Asian markets, as can any of the other ingredients that your regular market may not stock. To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
Linguine with Thai Pesto
Redolent of garlic, lemongrass, and pungent herbs, this Thai pesto makes a fabulous fusion dish when combined with linguine. Most of these ingredients, including the slender, hot Thai chile, are available in supermarkets. Thai basil can be found in Asian markets, as can any of the other ingredients that your regular market may not stock. To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 Thai bird chile, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, chopped
- 1 teaspoon natural sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 12 ounces linguine
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
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Combine the garlic, chile, lemongrass, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process to a paste. Add the basil, cilantro, and parsley and process until finely ground. Add the peanut butter, water, and lime juice and blend thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
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Cook the linguine in a large pot of salted water just until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding a little of the hot pasta water, if necessary, to thin the sauce. Garnish with peanuts and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
From The Nut Butter Cookbook by Robin Robertson. ©2014 Robin Robertson. Used by permission from Andrews McMeel Publishing. Photo by Lori Maffei.
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