Creamy Pesto Pasta

5 from 4 votes

The creamy pesto pasta recipe includes the only creamy pesto sauce recipe you will ever need in a quick and easy dinner recipe. Key ingredients such as fresh herbs, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese combine to make the perfect creamy sauce for pasta!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 417kcal

Author: Britni Vigil

Ingredients

4 cups fresh basil loosley packed
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
2 TBS lemon juice
1 pound pasta for serving

Instructions

Add basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, lemon juice, and grated parmesan cheese to a food processor and run on high for 30 seconds or until the mixture is a fine paste.
4 cups fresh basil, 1/2 cup pine nuts, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 3/4 tsp salt, 2 cloves garlic, 2 TBS lemon juice
Add the oil to the pesto mix in the food processor a little at a time until it gets to a desired consistency. Process the pesto as you add the oil.
1/2 cup olive oil
Cook the pasta according to package directions until the pasta reaches al dente. Then mix the pesto sauce in with the pasta.
1 pound pasta
Serve warm topped with toasted pines nuts and fresh parmesan if desired.

Notes

A great way to give it extra flavor is to toast the pine nuts in a large skillet until fragrant before adding them to the food processor.

A fourth of the recipe will coat a pound of pasta, store the remaining pesto for other uses.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week and use it on everything from chicken tenders to pizza. Or if your family is really pasta lovers, you could always toss it with some more pasta, grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), and olives for a different tasting pasta recipe using the same base pesto recipe!

Store the creamy pesto pasta sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to three months, allowing it to thaw completely before use.

Add some unsalted butter to the hot strained pasta if it gets done before the pesto is ready. This will help keep it from sticking while you make the pesto.

Nutrition