Basil pesto and al dente pasta are tossed together to make this super simple Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and packs fresh, herbaceous flavors into every bite. Plus, it’s fun to customize with the veggies and proteins you love. Grab some pasta noodles and fresh pesto, and let’s get cooking!
What’s Included In This Post
Are you a member of the Pasta Lovers Club? I sure am. I love how satisfying and comforting a bowl of pasta is and how no two bowls are alike. From the sauces to the mix-ins to the pasta itself, I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of playing around with my pasta dinners.
All bets are off when it comes to this Basil Pesto Pasta recipe. It’s a 30-minute, one-pot dinner recipe that tosses al dente pasta noodles with homemade or store-bought basil pesto sauce. So simple, so delicious!
The herbaceous Italian pesto sauce is made from fresh basil, pine nuts (or other nuts or seeds), garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It coats the noodles so you can indulge in its irresistible herby, cheesy, and savory flavors with each bite. No matter the spin you put on it, this recipe gives you a fancy-ish meal even the pickiest eaters will adore.
Hungry for even more recipes made with pesto? I highly recommend trying this Savory Pesto Oatmeal Bowl, this Easy Pesto Pasta Salad, and this Caprese Avocado Toast with Pesto and Balsamic Glaze next!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a 30-ish minute meal that combines two of my favorite things: pesto sauce and pasta!
- The pasta is satisfying, and the basil pesto is herby, savory, and just plain delicious.
- Just like my Pesto Rosso Pasta, you can combine the basil pesto pasta with chicken, shrimp, tofu, vegetables, or any other add-ins you love.
Basil Pesto Pasta Ingredients
It’s no secret that pesto pasta makes for a fantastic family-friendly dinner. What you might not know, though, is how the simplicity starts with the ingredients. This is all that you need to make this recipe:
- Pasta noodles. Short, textured pasta (penne, cavatappi, rigatoni, radiatori, etc.) is ideal for this recipe. The ridges and tubes scoop up the sauce to ensure there’s herby goodness in each bite. Or, if you prefer long pasta noodles, use spaghetti or linguine noodles instead.
- Basil pesto sauce. I recommend making this recipe with my 5-Ingredient Pesto or Easy Homemade Pesto without Pine Nuts. It’s a budget-friendly pesto recipe that uses pecans instead of pine nuts. Or, opt for a quality store-bought pesto if you’re running low on time or if you don’t feel like making the pesto from scratch.
- Olive oil
- Pasta water. Make sure you scoop this out of the pot as the pasta is boiling. The pasta cooking water is seriously starchy, and the secret behind a luscious pesto pasta sauce that clings to every noodle.
- Parmesan cheese. Technically, this is optional, but I can never say no to a pile of parmesan on top of my pasta.
- Fresh basil (for garnish)
(full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe card below)
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: Looking for a nutrition boost? Make your pesto sauce with a 1:1 mix of basil leaves and leafy greens, like arugula, spinach, or kale. This way, you’ll get all of the herby goodness of the basil, plus a few extra vitamins and minerals from the greens!
Swaps and Substitutions
Sure, you can enjoy this pasta recipe as-is if that’s what you’re craving, but there’s so much room for customizations! Here’s what I recommend:
- Raw vegetables: Once the pasta and pesto are combined, toss them with halved cherry or grape tomatoes, fresh spinach, shredded carrots, red onions, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cooked vegetables: Sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus, blanched green beans, and/or braised leafy greens would all be delicious add-ins. In the version pictured here, I included wilted spinach and green peas.
- Protein: Just one bowl of pesto pasta will keep you full when you top it with a sliced chicken breast, leftover rotisserie chicken, seared shrimp, roasted salmon, seared white fish, or pan-fried tofu.
Another fun way to put a spin on this recipe is to change the type of pesto sauce you use. I can’t get enough of my Pine Nut-Free Pesto Sauce, but this dish would be just as good made with my Classic 5-Ingredient Pesto Sauce or Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto.
How to Make Basil Pesto Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook according to package directions or until the noodles are al dente.
- Meanwhile, make the basil pesto if you aren’t using store-bought pesto.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the rest. Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl.
- Add the pesto to the bowl with the pasta and stir to coat the noodles. Add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water to thin the pesto and coat the pasta.
- Now you can incorporate any cooked or fresh vegetables or added protein.
- Garnish the pasta with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve while the pasta is still warm and enjoy!
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: Avoid adding the pesto sauce to the pasta while the burners are on. Scorching the pesto can cause it to develop bitter flavors and/or darken to a not-so-appetizing greenish-black color.
What to Serve With Pesto Pasta
There’s nothing I love more than a big ‘ol bowl of pesto pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. All this dish really needs is parmesan cheese and some basil leaves on top. But if you have the time, I highly recommend pairing each bowl with a slice of garlic bread. It really takes it over the top!
Want to make it a meal? Elevate the pasta with any of the add-ins I listed in the Swaps and Substitutions above. Once it’s ready, serve it with a side of Caesar Salad, Panzanella Salad, a bowl of Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup, and/or Roasted Broccoli.
Basil Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta, in a short textured shape (such as penne) or long shape, such as spaghetti or linguine
- 1 ½ cups prepared pesto sauce
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- grated parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
- fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt, then add the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente.
- In the meantime, prepare the basil pesto using a recipe of your choice or a store-bought pesto.
- Once pasta is finished cooking, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the remaining water and place the cooked pasta in a large serving bowl.
- Add the prepared pesto and stir to combine. Use ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the pesto sauce and coat the pasta (add more if needed for even distribution).
- Incorporate cooked or fresh vegetables, if using, or an added protein (cooked separately).
- Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if using. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Storing Leftover Pesto Pasta
I recommend eating the pesto pasta the same day it’s made. The pasta will absorb the pesto as it sits, turning what was once a silky pesto pasta sauce into dry leftovers with flat flavors.
Still, if you end up with leftovers, pack them into an airtight container and refrigerate them for 3 to 4 days. Reheat the pasta in 30-second bursts in the microwave with a splash of water or a drizzle of olive oil to revive the sauce.
I always have and always will love pasta. If you feel the same, then you have to give my Cod Piccata with Angel Hair Pasta, Italian-Inspired Antipasto Pasta Salad, and Beans and Greens Pasta Salad recipes a try, too.
As always, thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog! Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!
Disclosure: This recipe was originally posted in July 2016. It has since been updated to improve the overall quality of the instructions and images.
