Creamy Pesto Pasta with Bright Basil
A quick and easy creamy pesto pasta recipe with fresh basil, perfect for a weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.75 cup single or light cream
- 25 grams parmesan, finely grated
- 0.33 cup basil pesto
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 200 grams pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Boil salted water in a large pot.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Lower heat, add cream, and stir gently for 2–3 minutes.
- Add parmesan in two parts, melting fully between each addition.
- Stir in pesto, black pepper, and lemon juice. Combine until smooth and let simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Add cooked pasta, reserved water if needed, and salt to season. Mix gently and serve.
Notes
- Use pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Reserve before draining pasta.
- Homemade or quality store-bought pesto works well.
- Best served fresh, but can be stored in fridge for 3–4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: N/A
- Sodium: N/A
- Fat: N/A
- Saturated Fat: N/A
- Unsaturated Fat: N/A
- Trans Fat: N/A
- Carbohydrates: N/A
- Fiber: N/A
- Protein: N/A
- Cholesterol: N/A
Keywords: creamy pesto pasta, basil pesto, easy pasta recipe, quick dinner, vegetarian pasta, weeknight meal