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    Home » Main courses

    Creamy Pesto Pasta

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on November 19, 2023, updated November 2, 2023 - Leave a Comment

    Total time: 10 minutes minutes
    5 from 2 votes
    Jump to Recipe
    A bowl of creamy pesto pasta topped with cherry tomatoes.

    With only three ingredients and 10 minutes cook time, this creamy pesto pasta will soon become a weeknight staple in your house. Vibrant, garlicky pesto sauce mixed in with Greek yogurt makes this easy dinner recipe both simple and comforting.

    A bowl of creamy pesto pasta topped with cherry tomatoes.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • What you need to make it
    • How to make it
    • Tips & tricks
    • Variations
    • Storing, freezing & reheating
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More 15-minute dinner recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

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    This pesto pasta makes that possible.

    With it, you'll have all the flavors of classic basil pesto but in an nice, creamy, sauce swirled onto your favorite noodles.

    It'll be on the table in just ten minutes, making it a new family favorite for busy nights.

    Why you will love this recipe

    • So quick - cook the pasta, and then you're basically done!
    • 3 ingredients are all you need
    • Versatile: You can have it as is, or add more flavors
    • Lighter than the typical creamy pesto pasta as it uses yogurt in place of cream (which also adds a bit of acidity to the dish)
    • Flavor packed and deliciously creamy

    What you need to make it

    Ingredients needed to make creamy pesto pasta.

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Pesto: You can use traditional green pesto, store-bought pesto, or my red pesto with walnuts. They're all delicious in this creamy pesto pasta.
    • Greek Yogurt can be replaced with creme fraiche or another cooking yogurt
    • Make it dairy-free by using a dairy-free version of yogurt or creme fraiche
    • Make it vegan by using dairy-free yogurt and choosing a vegan pesto sauce with nutritional yeast in place of parmesan

    How to make it

    Collage showing how to make creamy pesto pasta.
    1. Cook the pasta, and reserve some water when draining it. Once cooked, add in the pesto pasta sauce and toss.
    2. Stir in the reserved pasta water.
    3. Add in the Greek yogurt and mix well.
    4. Taste test and season with more pesto, salt, and pepper if needed.

    Tips & tricks

    • For the best flavor use your favorite pesto sauce for pasta
    • Use homemade pesto like my red pesto sauce to make it even better!
    • Add your favorite toppings to make this creamy pesto pasta a new dish every time you make it
    A bowl of creamy pesto pasta topped with cherry tomatoes.

    Variations

    One of the reasons this creamy pesto pasta recipe is so good is that you can create a slightly different flavor each time you make it.

    Try one of the following versions for a new and unique twist on the recipe:

    • Increase the protein with pre-cooked shrimp in the air fryer, grilled chicken, or crispy bacon bits
    • Add extra color and nutrients with cherry tomatoes, spinach, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, or arugula
    • Bump up the richness by mixing in a ball of burrata, pecorino, or extra shredded cheese
    • Add some flavor with red chili flakes or ribbons of fresh basil leaves
    • Add texture with roasted nuts like pine nuts or walnuts - bonus points for matching the nuts in your pesto!
    • Do it all and load it up with homemade pesto, roasted veggies, and crunchy nuts like for my Red Pesto Pasta
    • Serve with a green salad for a nice pairing that adds veggies and flavor

    Storing, freezing & reheating

    Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

    Freeze it in an airtight container or plastic bag (to save room) for up to three months.

    Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove on low after thawing it in the fridge if frozen. You may need to add a little bit of yogurt to the dish to get the texture back.

    Recipe FAQ

    What pasta goes with pesto sauce?

    Typically, you would use long-noodle pasta like spaghetti, tagliatelle, or fettuccini. However, pesto sauce works just as well on short-length noodles like macaroni or rigatoni. Use what you have on hand and what you enjoy the most.

    What is pesto cream sauce made of?

    Pesto cream sauce is a combination of pesto sauce and a creamy agent. Often, this is heavy cream, but you can also use Greek yogurt or another cooking yogurt instead, as we did here. This makes it a bit lighter and healthier and balances the flavor nicely.

    A bowl of creamy pesto pasta topped with cherry tomatoes.

    More 15-minute dinner recipes

    Looking for more dinners you can make in under 15 minutes?

    • Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
    • Spicy Sausage Pasta
    • Shrimp Carbonara
    • Tortellini Carbonara
    • Lemon Ricotta Pasta

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    A bowl of creamy pesto pasta topped with cherry tomatoes.

    Creamy Pesto Pasta

    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: North American
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 310kcal
    Cook time: 10 minutes mins
    Total time: 10 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 servings pasta cooked al dente
    • 3 tablespoon pesto green or red
    • ¼ cup pasta cooking water
    • ¼ cup Greek yogurt or crème fraîche
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Cook the pasta according to package instructions, in a large pot of salted water.
      2 servings pasta
    • When the pasta is done, drain the water, but reserve some of it to use in the sauce. Place the pasta back in the pot.
    • Add the pesto to the cooked pasta together with pasta cooking water, and mix.
      3 tablespoon pesto, ¼ cup pasta cooking water
    • Add in yogurt, and mix again, until well combined. Taste test and add more pesto if desired, or a touch of salt and pepper.
      ¼ cup Greek yogurt
    • Serve as it is, or topped with cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, a ball of burrata, or crispy bacon.

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Pasta pot*
    • Measuring cups (metric or US)*
    • Measuring spoons*

    Video

    Notes

     
     
    • Make it dairy-free by using a dairy-free version of yogurt or creme fraiche
    • Make it vegan by using dairy-free yogurt and choosing a vegan pesto sauce with nutritional yeast in place of parmesan
    • For the best flavor use your favorite pesto sauce for pasta
    • Use homemade pesto like my red pesto sauce to make it even better!
    • Add your favorite toppings to make this creamy pesto pasta a new dish every time you make it
    • Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days
    • Freeze it in an airtight container or plastic bag (to save room) for up to three months
    • Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove on low after thawing it in the fridge if frozen. You may need to add a little bit of yogurt to the dis0 to get the texture back.
       
     

    Variations to try:

    • Increase the protein with pre-cooked shrimp in the air fryer, grilled chicken, or crispy bacon bits
    • Add extra color and nutrients with cherry tomatoes, spinach, steamed broccoli, mushrooms, or arugula
    • Bump up the richness by mixing in a ball of burrata, pecorino, or extra shredded cheese
    • Add some flavor with red chili flakes or ribbons of fresh basil
    • Add texture with roasted nuts like pine nuts or walnuts - bonus points for matching the nuts in your pesto!
    • Do it all and load it up with homemade pesto, roasted veggies, and crunchy nuts like for my Red Pesto Pasta

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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