Trofie al Pesto Genovese

Name: Trofie al Pesto Genovese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 37 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Trofie; 60 g Basil, leaves rinsed and dried; 30 g Pine nut; 1 clove Garlic, peeled; 40 g Parmigiano, finely grated; 25 g Pecorino, finely grated; 120 ml Olive oil; 180 g Potato, peeled and diced; 150 g Green bean, trimmed; 6 g Salt; 200 ml Water, reserved from cooking

Trofie al Pesto Genovese · ready in 37 min · 4 servings · 806 kcal per serving · medium · 11 ingredients

A Ligurian classic from Genoa, where basil is pounded in a mortar into a fragrant pesto that clings to twisted trofie with potato and green bean.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 17 min
Total: 37 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 806
Difficulty: medium

Italian Main dishes Vegetarian

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

400 gTrofie
60 gBasil, leaves rinsed and dried
30 gPine nut
1 cloveGarlic, peeled
40 gParmigiano, finely grated
25 gPecorino, finely grated
120 mlOlive oil
180 gPotato, peeled and diced
150 gGreen bean, trimmed
6 gSalt
200 mlWater, reserved from cooking

Equipment

stovetop, mortar, pestle, large pot, colander, mixing bowl, grater, knife, cutting board, tongs, ladle, kitchen towel

Instructions

Mise En Place
Gather all ingredients and set out a mortar, pestle, large pot, colander, bowl, grater, knife, board, tongs, and ladle. · 1 min
What to look for: All ingredients and tools are ready on the work surface.
Prepare Vegetables
Dice potato into 1 cm cubes, trim green bean, grate both cheeses, rinse basil gently, and pat the leaves dry. · 4 min
What to look for: Potato pieces are even, green bean is trimmed, and basil is dry.
Pound Garlic Nuts
Pound garlic, pine nut, and a pinch of salt in the mortar until the mixture becomes a smooth pale paste. · 4 min
What to look for: The paste looks creamy with no large garlic pieces.
Crush Basil Leaves
Add basil in small handfuls and pound with a circular motion until the leaves collapse into a vivid green cream. · 6 min
What to look for: The basil is bright green and finely crushed.
Finish The Pesto
Stir Parmigiano and Pecorino into the basil paste, then stream in olive oil slowly until the pesto looks glossy and thick. · 4 min
What to look for: The pesto is glossy, thick, and aromatic.
Boil Pasta Vegetables
Boil potato in salted water for 4 minutes, add trofie, then add green bean for the final 5 minutes of pasta cooking. · 12 min
What to look for: The water bubbles steadily and the trofie begins to float and twist freely.
Reserve And Drain
Reserve 200 ml starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta, potato, and green bean when the trofie is tender but still firm. · 2 min
What to look for: The pasta is drained and the reserved water looks cloudy.
Dress With Pesto
Toss the hot mixture off heat with pesto, adding reserved water a little at a time until the sauce coats every twist. · 3 min
What to look for: The pesto clings evenly without pooling oil in the bowl.
Serve Warm
Serve immediately in warm bowls, with the pesto bright green and the potato and green bean nestled among the trofie. · 1 min
What to look for: The dish is glossy, green, and lightly creamy.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	806
Protein	22 g
Carbohydrates	88 g
of which sugars	5 g
Fat	42 g
of which saturated	8 g
Fibre	6 g
Sodium	837 mg

Nutri-ScoreC

Allergens

Contains: gluten, milk, tree nuts

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 2 days
Freezer: not recommended
Serve leftovers at room temperature or warm very gently with a spoonful of water, since high heat dulls the basil.

Ingredient substitutions

Parmigiano

Pecorino: Use only within the traditional cheese blend if Parmigiano is short.

Pecorino

Parmigiano: Use only within the traditional cheese blend for a milder pesto.