What is Pasta al Pesto?
Pasta al pesto is a simple pasta dish served with pesto sauce. A traditional pesto consists of fresh basil, olive oil, and pine nuts.
This vegetarian-friendly sauce provides another way for you to enjoy pasta dishes without traditional tomato-based sauces. Continue reading and discover our top favorite pasta al pesto dishes.
1. Spaghetti al Pesto Recipe
This decadent recipe features a pesto alla genovese sauce made using a mortar and pestle. Start by crushing the pine nuts, then slowly add the basil leaves and push them along the sides of the mortar until they begin forming a paste.
Lastly, incorporate the pecorino and parmigianno reggiano cheeses into the mix and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Add a generous of this sauce to a helping of spaghetti, and you’ve got yourself an easy lunch or dinner ready to eat in no time.
Get the full recipe and directions here.
2. Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Talk about an easy weeknight dinner! Believe it or not, you can make a creamy chicken pesto pasta entree in under 30 minutes.
All you have to do is cook chicken breasts in a pan, whip up a creamy bechamel sauce, mix in some fresh pesto, and boil some noodles.
Best of all, you can freeze this pesto pasta dish for up to four months. Look no further for a hearty and decadent pesto pasta dish.
Get the full recipe and directions from Yellow Bliss Road.
3. Healthy Pesto Pasta
We love the simplicity of this pesto pasta; you only need 12 ingredients to make this healthy meal. Begin by mixing the pesto sauce in a food processor, then bring a pot of water to a boil.
Cook your noodles until al dente, reserving about a cup of starchy pasta water. Do not rinse the pasta after draining it, then stir in some of the reserved water to help the sauce stick to the noodles.
The author of this recipe says that pesto sauce freezes really well. If you want to portion it out, freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray and preserve it for another pesto pasta entree later down the road.
Get the full recipe and directions from Picky Eater Blog.
4. Chicken and Cherry Tomato Pesto Pasta
If you’re a fan of one-pot meals, we’ve got you covered. Instead of draining the pasta and using yet another dish, simply boil your noodles in chicken broth for about 10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Then, add the remaining ingredients to the same pan and cook for another few minutes before serving. This colorful and hearty pasta entree calls for a homemade pesto sauce consisting of fresh basil, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and toasted almonds.
The acidity of the tomatoes adds a nice contrast to this pesto pasta, and the addition of precooked chicken makes it an excellent weeknight meal that the whole family can love.
Get the full recipe and directions from Betty Crocker.
5. Vegan Pesto Pasta
We haven’t forgotten about our vegan foodies; this pesto pasta recipe is just for you. The pesto sauce consists of cashews, basil, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and nutritional yeast.
You can soak the cashews for 20 minutes unless you have a high-speed blender that can easily grind the nuts. The recipe author recommends rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water so the pesto doesn’t lose its vibrant coloration once you mix it with the noodles.
This nutrient-dense meal is sure to satisfy you, and it takes less than 10 ingredients to make. The roasted cherry tomatoes add great flavor, but feel free to include sauteed mushrooms or shallots, to enhance this vegan pesto pasta even further.
Get the full recipe and directions from Minimalist Baker.
Pasta al pesto dishes provide healthy and delicious ways to incorporate more vegetables into your diet.
We hope you enjoyed our list of the top pasta al pesto recipes. Be sure to share your favorite version of pasta al pesto in the comments!
If you like this post, we think you’ll really like our Best Pesto Without Pine Nuts Recipes post.
