A Well-Read Tart

A Food and Book Lover’s Blog

Creamy Pesto Pasta (Recipe Inspired by IN FIVE YEARS)

Overhead of Creamy Pesto Pasta

Creamy Pesto Pasta is another book-inspired recipe that was in the works long before I had a book to pair with it.

Ingredients for pesto cream sauce

Creamy pesto sauce, IMHO, is so much better than regular ol’ pesto sauce.

My favorite local Italian restuarant makes a version that’s literally had me licking the bowl after I’d wolfed down all the pasta.

Cooked plain pasta

Why is Creamy Pesto Pasta the book-inspired recipe for In Five Years?

I’ve been angling to make my own version of Creamy Pesto Pasta at home, but with said restaurant a mere seven-minute drive from my house…

Let’s just say that motivation was nil.

Pesto Cream Sauce with pasta

However, when main character Dannie experiences a life-altering pesto pasta moment in In Five Years, I was like, BAM!

Book-inspired recipe time.

Creamy Pesto Pasta in skillet

My Creamy Pesto Pasta slightly deviates from the pesto sauce mentioned in In Five Years. Dannie’s pesto wasn’t a creamy sauce — at least, I don’t think so. Dannie’s version also is served over spaghetti.

But, I hate spaghetti and avoid it as much as possible. I mean, all that slurping that leaves flecks of sauce on your chin (and sweater, and hair)…. the thin, fiddly strands of pasta that are never enough to curb the carb cravings within…

NOPE. There’s no need for that.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

 

Why I love Creamy Pesto Pasta

My Creamy Pesto Pasta is made with penne. You can use any short pasta you like, though. (Or, if you really insist, spaghetti. Weirdo.)

I happen to think penne, with its tubular shape and many ridges, is perfect for catching all of the herby, savory sauce in this dish.

skillet of Creamy Pesto Pasta

And, trust me, you want as much of that sauce in your mouth as possible.

Holy shmegeggies, it’s fantastic.

So much punchy basil flavor and so much freshness, thanks to the homemade pesto mixture that takes about five seconds to whip up in a mini food processor.

forkful of pasta

I say pesto “mixture” because it isn’t a traditional pesto sauce. It uses very little olive oil, and — bonus for all you nut allergy people out there — it’s completely nut-free.

And, for those of you (like me) who don’t like a lot of garlic? This pesto mixture uses a minimal amount without sacrificing any of the signature pesto taste.

close up of pasta

It was actually shocking how quickly this meal came together. Like, in the time it took to cook the penne, I had the creamy pesto sauce ready and waiting to be tossed with the noodles.

That’s my kinda pasta dish.

Now that I know how easy it is to make Creamy Pesto Pasta at home, my local Italian place may not be seeing me for a little while…

 

What do you serve with Creamy Pesto Pasta?

Creamy Pesto Pasta makes a great side dish for Chicken Saltimbocca, Lemon Piccata Flounder, or Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce. However, it can also be eaten as a main dish with a salad

Finish you meal with a slice of Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache, Man Catcher Cake, or Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Overhead of Creamy Pesto Pasta

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Creamy Pesto Pasta uses a homemade, nut-free pesto and cream sauce that comes together in minutes for an easy and delicious Italian dinner.
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

PESTO MIXTURE INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed (no stems)
  • zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

CREAMY PESTO PASTA INGREDIENTS

  • 10 oz uncooked short pasta (penne, ziti, etc)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
  • all of the homemade pesto mixture (see above)

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • While pasta is cooking, making your pesto mixture: In a small food processor, combine the basil leaves, lemon zest, ¼ cup grated cheese, salt, pepper, garlic power, and olive oil. Pulse a few times ,then puree into a relatively smooth mixture. Taste, adding additional salt or pepper if desired.
  • Heat cream in a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated through, stir in the remaining ¼ cup grated cheese and the homemade pesto mixture**.
  • Stir ingredients and bring sauce to a low simmer, stirring regularly, until sauce has thickened, 3-5 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to low, then add the drained, cooked pasta to the skillet.
  • Stir to coat the pasta and let warm through, then serve immediately with extra grated cheese and basil for garnish if desired.

Notes

**If you use jarred pesto instead of homemade pesto mixture, use about 3 tablespoons.

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