This creamy pesto pasta is creamy, rich and punchy in basil flavour with a little zing from lemon. With just 8 ingredients and 15 minutes, you have an easy to make, versatile family favourite.
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Large saucepan
Deep skillet or frying pan
Instructions
Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions until just al dente.
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick frying pan / skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Gently sizzle for 1 minute, moving the garlic around so it doesn't brown.
Add the pesto and cream and stir well to combine. Bring it to a simmer, then add the parmesan and lemon juice. Remove from the heat and stir until the parmesan is melted through.
Drain the pasta as soon as it’s ready, you can set it aside for a few minutes if you need to. Make sure to reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
Add the pasta, ¼ cup of pasta water, salt and pepper, some of the lemon zest and half of the pine nuts to the sauce and use tongs to toss it all together. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Add more pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce some more.
Serve immediately with remaining lemon zest and pine nuts scattered over the top.
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Notes
Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
Feel free to add some cooked shredded chicken or fry up some bacon or sausage meat before beginning the sauce. Remove excess oil before making the sauce right in the same pan.
You can add a side salad if you like or mix through a couple of big handfuls of baby spinach at the end, stirring it in until the heat from the pasta and sauce wilt it.
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.