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This three-ingredient, 20-minute pesto pasta recipe is as simple as it gets! It tastes restaurant quality, and you’ll marvel at how easy it is to make this irresistible pasta.
Try my Creamy Pesto Dressing or Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta with Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes next.
Why you’ll love it
This restaurant-worthy pasta with a creamy pesto sauce works for everything from busy weeknights when you’ve got picky eaters to date night. It’s inexpensive since it has so few ingredients, and it’s also great when you have pasta cravings but don’t want to put in effort.
If you have a jar of pesto in your pantry, you’re going to want to make this simple pasta recipe. We’ve got a little bit of magic going on here. Ever had plain ‘ol pesto on pasta and felt something was missing? I’ve got you covered with this delicious creamy pesto sauce.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I chose rigatoni. Penne would also work great, but any pasta you have on hand is fine.
- Pesto – since each ingredient shines, be sure to buy one that you love the taste of! DeLallo’s traditional basil pesto is my favorite. Or make my Homemade Pesto.
- Heavy cream – the way it makes the sauce silky is a game changer
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use these angled measuring cups to measure out the pesto and cream.
- Here is my favorite cooking spoon for stirring the sauce.
- If topping with parmesan, this Microplane zester will make a perfectly fluffy dusting.
How to make pesto pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook the pasta al dente. Meanwhile, in a skillet, add the pesto and cream. Simmer until thickened to your liking.
Drain the pasta, and toss with the sauce. Taste, then season with salt & pepper as needed. Top with freshly grated parm if desired.
Helpful Tip
Need to thin the pasta sauce out? Simply add a splash of the hot water the pasta is cooked in!
Substitutions and variations
- Try adding in some uncooked shrimp while you’re simmering the sauce. Cooked/rotisserie chicken would work well too if you’re looking for a protein.
- Add in a handful of fresh baby spinach towards the end of cooking time for some more greens.
- You could add a squeeze of lemon juice for a pop of freshness.
- Subbing the cream for a lower fat alternative might yield a thinner sauce that needs to be cooked down longer.
What to serve with pesto pasta
- I highly recommend topping it all off with some freshly grated parmesan cheese!
- Enjoy this pasta with a big slice of fresh crusty bread, or my personal favorite, this Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- A salad makes a great pairing. Try spring mix with my Honey Mustard Dressing or this Homemade Ranch Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store this pesto pasta for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container, and reheat slowly over low heat to prevent the sauce from separating.
- If you don’t plan on eating it all right away, don’t cook the full amount of pasta, and simply boil fresh pasta when reheating the sauce.
- It may change texture when frozen due to the dairy, but it should still taste good.
If you made this simple pesto pasta, please leave a star rating and review below! Questions? Talk to me. You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you make my recipes.
Easy Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta I used rigatoni
- 1 cup pesto click for my recipe or use your favorite jarred variety
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, to taste
Instructions
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, add the pesto and cream to a skillet, give it a good stir, and simmer for 5-7 minutes over medium heat or until it's thickened up to your liking. If the sauce gets too thick, simply thin it with some of the hot pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Season with salt & pepper as needed (go easy as some jarred pesto varieties can be salty) and top freshly grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- I love DeLallo’s pesto!
- This pasta is quite rich and makes 4 reasonably sized (not huge) portions, so I suggest serving it with a side salad or starting with an appetizer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Excellent recipe and so easy!
Thanks so much, Lisa!! 😀