Creamy Pesto Pasta with Parmesan
A luxurious pasta dish combining al dente pasta with homemade basil pesto, enriched with heavy cream and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Ready in just 20 minutes, this versatile recipe works great as both a main course or side dish. The pesto can be made from scratch or substituted with store-bought for convenience.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 pound 16 oz pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or penne)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup pasta cooking water
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the pesto:
- Combine basil, garlic, nuts, and cheese in food processor
- Pulse until coarsely chopped
- Stream in olive oil while processing
- Season with salt and pepper
Cook the pasta:
- Boil in salted water until al dente
- Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining
- Drain pasta but don't rinse
Combine:
- Return pasta to pot
- Add pesto and cream
- Toss with reserved pasta water
- Add Parmesan
- Season to taste
Serve:
- Top with extra Parmesan
- Add fresh basil leaves
- Drizzle with olive oil
Notes
Variations
- Use different pasta shapes
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp
- Include sun-dried tomatoes
- Add roasted pine nuts
- Mix in sautéed vegetables
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Freeze pesto separately up to 3 months
- Add fresh Parmesan when reheating
Nutrition Information (per serving)
- Calories: 650
- Protein: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 71g
- Fat: 32g