15-Minute Creamy Pesto Pasta (Printable)

Delight in a quick, creamy basil pesto pasta with Parmesan, perfect for busy weeknights and easy dinners.

# What You Need:

→ 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 tablespoon olive oil
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

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

# How To Make It:

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

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but only dirty two pans and fifteen minutes of your life.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every ridge of pasta, delivering flavor in every single bite without feeling heavy.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables or protein are lurking in your fridge and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining, it's the only thing that will bring your sauce back if it tightens up or looks separated.
  • Don't let the garlic brown or it'll turn bitter and ruin the delicate basil flavor you're trying to showcase.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet off the heat if your sauce is already perfect, so the cream doesn't reduce too much and get gluey.
03 -
  • Use a skillet that's big enough to toss the pasta without it spilling over, it makes coating everything so much easier.
  • If your pesto is particularly oily, drain off a little before adding it to the cream so the sauce emulsifies smoothly.
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often, they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
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