Easy Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe

Simple creamy pesto pasta recipe

I realized I needed to replicate this dish after I tasted it from my friend’s plate during our last vacation. Pesto pasta is an unassuming meal yet bursting with robust flavors; the sauce is silky, decadent, luxurious, and sure to fulfill your appetites. With its perfect mix of savoury and creamy tastes, this dish serves as ideal comfort food for any day of the week or a special gathering.

This recipe is not just scrumptious, but it is also quick and straightforward, taking only 20-30 minutes to prepare from beginning to end. With a handful of easy ingredients and steps, you’ll enjoy a restaurant-quality meal right from the comfort of your home.

My homemade basil pesto sauce takes a maximum of 5 minutes to whip up and possibly 7 minutes if you choose to toast the pine nuts. The creamy sauce will be ready in approximately 10 minutes, which is about the same duration needed to cook the spaghetti to perfection until al dente. This recipe is fantastic; I can’t promote it enough, and I sincerely hope you try it out ASAP!

You will appreciate the flexibility of this crowd-pleasing pasta dish; you can substitute basil pesto with any pesto you prefer. You could even add some protein like shrimp (my ultimate favorite), chicken, or tofu.

Related recipes: pesto butter, pesto butter salmon, baked basil pesto chicken, and Tortellini pesto salad.

Ingredients Required

To create this super easy and mouth-watering creamy pesto pasta, you will need the following set of ingredients.

Spaghetti: truly, any pasta variety would work for this dish; I enjoy it with penne, farfalle, and many others. Essentially, any pasta shape that can embrace the sauce will suit your needs here.

Garlic

Butter

Low sodium chicken stock: can be replaced with vegetable stock or broth.

Basil pesto sauce: this recipe shines best with homemade pesto made from fresh ingredients. However, if you can’t afford five minutes to prepare your own, feel free to use your preferred store-bought version.

Single cream: there’s no need for double cream in this recipe, as it might become too rich; single cream (half and half) will suffice and deliver the same outcome with less guilt.

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh basil for garnish

How to Prepare Creamy Pesto Pasta

This recipe is as straightforward as it gets: prepare the pesto sauce, create the creamy sauce, and mix in the perfectly cooked pasta. Here is my uncomplicated step-by-step guide; let’s begin cooking.

Prepare the basil pesto sauce: in a food processor, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and black pepper, and pulse until everything is blended. Set aside.

Cook the spaghetti: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package instructions, reserving some pasta water. Drain and set aside. While the pasta cooks, proceed with the sauce preparation.

Create the creamy sauce: in a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then add chopped garlic and sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally until it’s soft and lightly golden. Next, pour in single cream and chicken stock, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste; mix everything together and let it gently simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

Incorporate the pesto sauce and continue to simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add the drained pasta, mix or toss to blend. Taste for salt and pepper, adjusting as necessary. If the sauce is overly thick, incorporate some reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.