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.
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.