Swordfish and Spaghetti with Citrus Pesto

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 35 min
  • Prep: 15 min
  • Cook: 20 min
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Ingredients

For the Citrus pesto:

1 pound spaghetti pasta (recommended: Barilla)

1 bunch fresh basil, about 3 cups leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 clove garlic

1 lemon, zest grated and juiced

1 orange, zest grated and juiced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup grated Parmesan

For the Swordfish:

4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid.
  2. Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, zests, juices, salt, and pepper in a food processor until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Toss with the warm spaghetti and the reserved pasta water.
  3. Meanwhile, place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush both sides of the swordfish fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish 3 to 4 minutes a side for a 1-inch thick fillet.
  4. Transfer the pasta to a serving platter and top with the grilled swordfish fillets and serve.

Let's Get Cooking!

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Rachel G.

YUM!  I am currently pregnant and am staying away from fish with high mercury content, such as swordfish.   The citrus pesto sounded so yummy, that I decided to make the recipe in an alternate way and used a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp instead of the swordfish.  This definitely did not disappoint.  Very easy and delicious and would be a nice, light pasta dish to eat during the summer months, too.  Thanks for another great recipe, Giada! 

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