Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe

Pasta in a creamy pesto sauce in a skillet.

5 from 9 votes

Try this amazing Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe! Made with just a few ingredients, this simple yet flavorful pasta is coated in delicious velvety cream sauce. This comforting dish will be perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a weekend family gathering.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 600kcal

Author: Veronika's Kitchen

Ingredients

10 ounces dried pasta
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅓ cup basil pesto
½ cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

In a large pot, bring water to boil and generously season with salt. Cook pasta according to the instructions until al-dente. When done, drain the liquid and set the pasta aside.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 3 tbsp butter, then add 3 tbsp all-purpose flour. Whisk it together and let it cook for about a minute or until everything is well incorporates and the mixture starts to bubble.
Add 3 cups milk, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp garlic powder.
Stir and cook on low/medium heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Make sure to stir every few minutes, so the bottom of the skillet doesn’t burn.
Then add ⅓ cup basil pesto and ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir will until combined.
When the sauce thickens and coats a spoon, add precooked pasta and fold it in. Let it cook together for a couple of minutes to bring the flavors together.

Notes

Season the pasta water. The trick to make the pasta more flavorful is to generously season the water with salt. This will help to bring up the flavors and won’t taste too bland.
Don’t overcook the pasta. When we add pasta to the sauce, it will continue to cook and absorb the sauce. So, by cooking it to al-dente, you will get the right texture in the final dish.
Stir the sauce. Since the sauce is creamy, it’s easy to burn it on the bottom. To avoid it, just keep stirring it every few minutes.
How to store. You can refrigerate it in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days.
How to reheat. When the pesto creamy sauce cools off, it will thicken up. To reheat, add a splash of milk or water to loosen up the sauce. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with the lid on and stir every few minutes.

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