Follow these steps closely, and you’ll have a restaurant-quality pesto pasta recipe on your table in no time.

1. Boil the pasta water. Fill a large pot with water, add the salt, and bring it to a rolling boil. Salting the water is key here since it’s your only chance to season the pasta itself.
2. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Al dente simply means “to the tooth,” so the pasta should still have a slight bite to it.
3. Make the pesto. While the pasta cooks, add the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse a few times until everything is finely chopped.
4. Stream in the olive oil. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust as needed.
5. Reserve the pasta water. Right before draining the pasta, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. This little step makes a huge difference in how well the sauce clings to the noodles.
6. Drain the pasta. Drain the pasta in a colander, but don’t rinse it. Rinsing washes away the starch that helps the sauce stick.
7. Combine everything. Return the pasta to the pot or transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add the pesto, a splash of the reserved pasta water, and the butter if you’re using it.
8. Toss and adjust. Toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated. If the sauce feels too thick, add a little more pasta water, a tablespoon at a time.
9. Serve immediately. Plate the pasta while it’s warm, top with extra Parmesan, and add halved cherry tomatoes for a pop of color and freshness.