This Creamy Pesto Pasta is one of the most delicious pasta dishes! With creamy pesto sauce, al dente pasta, and parmesan cheese, this meal is a winner for the whole family!
Recipe Inspiration
Pasta lovers and pesto lovers will absolutely love this creamy pesto pasta! This recipe is great for busy weeknights because it's done in about 20 minutes.
I also love meal prepping this recipe - it tastes even more delicious a few days later!
Pesto has always been one of our favorite recipes. Adding cream to freshly made pesto makes it even more delicious! This would be great with boneless skinless chicken breast on top.
I recommend making homemade pesto sauce because it's so fresh and delicious. But if you're in a pinch, you could definitely use jarred pesto as well to create a creamy pesto pasta sauce.
If you're looking for other pesto recipes, check out our Pesto Rosso, Mint Pesto, and Green Goddess Pesto.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Delicious - This recipe is so delicious. Each bite is packed with flavor that your family will truly love! It's really a perfect dish for the whole family. Great for entertaining too!
Approachable - This recipe is approachable and is easy to make. You only need a few kitchen tools to make this great recipe.
Versatile - You can use the creamy fresh basil pesto on it's own or use it on top of chicken or shrimp. Or, add to sandwiches for a flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:
- Basil - Fresh basil leaves are definitely preferred for this recipe. Buy some at the grocery store or grow your own basil at home!
- Nuts - You can use pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts for this pesto sauce.
- Extra virgin olive oil - you always want to use a high quality olive oil!
- Parmesan cheese - plus more for serving on top of the pasta
- Garlic - minced. You can also use garlic powder if you don't have garlic on hand.
- Kosher Salt
- Black pepper
- Butter - unsalted
- Heavy cream - you can also use half and half to lighten up the dish
- Pasta - use any type of pasta you like! A short or long pasta would be delicious with this creamy sauce.
Directions
Let's make this easy creamy pesto pasta recipe together!
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Cook pasta until al dente - check the al dente time on the pasta package directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining. When pasta is al dente, drain and set aside.
Step 2
While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto. Add basil, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Pulse until combined and the pesto is smooth.
Step 3
Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add butter, pesto, and heavy cream. Mix well.
Step 4
Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Mix pasta and sauce together, then add reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired sauce consistency.
Step 5
Top pasta with additional parmesan cheese and serve.
Kitchen Equipment
Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this family favorite recipe. You can find all of these products on Amazon.
Food Processor - This food processor is my favorite and I use it almost every day! It's great quality and you can use for a variety of recipes.
Large Skillet - A large skillet like this one is perfect for this recipe! It's large enough to hold all of your pasta without worrying about spillage.
Pasta - This is the pasta shape I used in this recipe. It's such a great shape for holding up a variety of different sauces!
Recipe Substitutions/Variations
Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this easy recipe.
Make it spicy - Add red pepper flakes to add spice to this pesto cream sauce.
Add protein - Make it a complete meal by adding protein! Adding chicken breasts or shrimp to this recipe would be delicious. My husband loves this pasta with juicy chicken and cherry tomatoes!
Make it extra creamy - Add cream cheese to the sauce in step 3 to make this pasta super creamy and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pesto sauce is delicious with a variety of pasta shapes. We like serving pesto with shapes that have holes or texture to hold the extra sauce. We recommend fusili, bucatini, and gemelli.
Creamy pesto has traditional pesto flavors of basil, garlic and cheese, with the addition of a rich creamy texture from the heavy cream.
Make pesto creamy by adding heavy cream or half and half to fresh pesto sauce. The cream will add a delicious element to the flavor and texture of the sauce.
Recipe Storage and Reheating
Here are storage and reheating instructions for this recipe.
Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight continuer and eat leftovers within 4-5 days.
Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as instructed below.
Reheating Instructions: The best way to reheat this recipe is to heat in a skillet with a little olive oil over low heat until warm.
Other Recipes to Try
Check out some more of our easy pasta recipes.
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil leaves
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 lb pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, and reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, make the pesto. Add basil leaves, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a food processor, and pulse until combined.
- Heat a large skillet or pot over low heat. Add butter, pesto, and heavy cream. Mix well.
- Add pasta to the skillet. Mix pasta and sauce together. Add reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Top with additional parmesan cheese and serve.
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