15 Minute Creamy Pesto Pasta (Printable)

A luscious creamy pesto pasta, prepared swiftly for a flavorful and easy meal in 15 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Creamy Pesto Sauce

02 - ½ cup heavy cream
03 - ⅓ cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
04 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
09 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
10 - Extra Parmesan, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in pesto and Parmesan until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat thoroughly with sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to adjust consistency.
05 - Divide pasta among bowls. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant pasta but uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta without feeling heavy or oily.
  • You can sit down to dinner before the hunger turns into irritation.
02 -
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining, because once it's gone, you can't get that starchy magic back and the sauce won't come together the same way.
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it can break and turn grainy, just a gentle simmer is all you need for it to thicken and marry with the pesto.
03 -
  • If your pesto is particularly oily, drain off a little before adding it to the cream so the sauce doesn't split or feel greasy.
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat, watching them like a hawk, because they go from golden to burnt in about ten seconds.
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