Easy Pesto Pasta

This easy pesto pasta recipe will become a weeknight favourite. Ready in under 30 minutes, using only the freshest ingredients you can access pretty much everywhere. Skip the jars and make it fresh!

You can absolutely serve this cold too. A perfect treat for lunch time at work!

About this recipe

Basil pesto is a classic, popular Italian sauce, which is incredibly versatile. In this recipe. I show you how to make a fresh basil pesto and mix it into a delicious pasta dish with added cream. Once you see how easy it is to make this easy pesto pasta, It will become a favourite in your home.

Step by step photographs

You shouldn't have a problem sourcing any ingredients for this easy pesto pasta recipe. All ingredients can be purchased at your nearest grocery store.

• Basil
• Pine nuts
• Garlic
• parmesan
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• double cream (not in photograph)
• pasta

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. Step 1: Start by adding the pine nuts and garlic to the food processor.

2. Step 2: Then add the basil on top.

Serving suggestion

Make this dish a meal by adding a prepared salad to the table. I absolutely love this Green Goddess Salad but check out these other salad recipes too.

Substitutions For Easy Pesto Pasta

This easy pesto pasta recipe is easy to substitute ingredients to suit many dietary requirements.

• Nuts - You can skip them or add toasted breadcrumbs for added texture.
• Cheese - You can add a spoonful of nutritional yeast instead or even a little extra salt and some lemon juice.
• Pasta - Use any pasta you like in this recipe or try gnocchi, noodle noodles or you can even try cooked potatoes or rice.
• Cream - You can skip cream altogether or even add coconut milk for a twist.

Variations of Easy Pesto Pasta

Once that you have mastered the basil pesto recipe, you might want to switch it up. This Easy Pesto Pasta recipe is easily adapted and here are some ideas of variations you could try.

• Spinach & Basil - If you prefer a milder and sweeter taste, swap half of the basil for spinach. It is a a great way to use up leftover greens in your refrigerator.
• Red pesto - Switch out most of the basil for sun-dried tomatoes and create a red pesto. It's delicious served creamy and stirred into a pasta.

There are so many other things you can do with basil pesto, instead of adding it to pasta. Check out my Basil Pesto recipe where you can see example of how else to use basil pesto.

Equipment

For the best results, use a food processor as this allows you to pulse it in short bursts to maintin a good texture and avoid over-blending. However you can use a regular blender to create the paste.

Storage

If possible, store the pesto, cream and pasta separately, adding a touch of oil to the pasta to avoid it sticking. This will stop the pasta from absorbing the sauce and drying it out. You should also add a tablespoon of olive oil to the top of the pesto to stop it going brown, When ready to heat back up, heat the pesto in a pan over a medium heat, stir in the cream and add your pasta.

If it is already mixed together, simply place it in a bowl, covered and it will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The pesto freezes really well, so as long as this is seperate to the cream and the pasta, it will freeze for up to 3 months. It is definitely worth making a big batch so you can do this.