Pasta
$0.60per plate
Prep
5 min
Pasta · Creamy Pasta
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Creamy Pesto Pasta turns a jar of basil pesto into a silky green sauce that clings to every piece of penne, and it comes together in the time the pasta boils. A little cream and Parmesan round the pesto out so it is rich and smooth instead of oily, while still tasting clearly of basil, not just cheese. It is meatless, faster than an Alfredo, and where our creamy pasta recipes starter leans on garlic, this one leans on fresh, green pesto. No chicken, no fuss, about 20 minutes and $1.28 a plate. It rounds out the rest of our pasta recipes, every one priced up front.
$1.28per plate
Estimated recipe total
$5.12 · serves 4
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Serves
4
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/creamy-pesto-pasta
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Pot for the pasta
Variations
- Use half-and-half, or whole milk with a teaspoon of cornstarch, for a lighter sauce.
- Blitz fresh basil with garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and nuts or seeds for homemade pesto.
- Use fusilli, farfalle, or spaghetti instead of penne.
- Add a small squeeze of lemon, or a cup of frozen peas, for extra brightness and bulk.
1 How to make it
1
Cook the pasta
Boil the penne in salted water until just al dente, a minute shy of the box time since it finishes in the sauce. Scoop out a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining, then set the pasta aside.
2
Soften the garlic
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the garlic for about a minute until fragrant but not browned. Keep the heat gentle so the garlic stays sweet and does not fight the fresh basil.
3
Warm the cream
Turn the heat to low and pour in the heavy cream. Let it warm through for a minute or two, but do not let it hard boil, which can make a cream sauce break.
4
Stir in the pesto off the heat
Pull the pan from the heat and stir in the basil pesto and Parmesan until the sauce turns an even green and looks glossy. Adding the pesto off the heat keeps it bright and green instead of dull and cooked-tasting. Season with salt, black pepper, and the red pepper flakes.
5
Combine and serve
Add the drained penne and toss to coat, splashing in reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce clings and looks silky rather than thick. Serve right away with extra Parmesan and torn fresh basil if you have it.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Half-and-half or milk for the heavy cream. For a lighter, cheaper sauce, use half-and-half, or whole milk with a teaspoon of cornstarch. The pesto carries the flavor, so it stays green and rich either way.
- Homemade pesto. If you have fresh basil, blitz it with garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, and a handful of nuts or seeds. It costs more but tastes even fresher; use the same half cup.
- Any short or long pasta. Penne, fusilli, farfalle, or spaghetti all hold a pesto cream sauce well. Fusilli and penne catch the most sauce in their ridges.
- A squeeze of lemon or peas. A small squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the pesto, and a cup of frozen peas stirred in adds color and bulk for a few cents.
3 Budget tips
- Half a jar of pesto sauces a whole box of pasta, so one jar makes this dinner twice.
- A little cream and Parmesan stretch the pesto and mellow it, so you need less of the priciest ingredient.
- The starchy pasta water is free and it is what turns pesto and cream into a smooth, clinging sauce, so always save a cup before draining.
- This is a meatless main, one of the cheapest ways to put a fresh, green pasta on the table.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pesto can darken a little in the fridge, which is normal; a splash of milk or pasta water and a stir freshens it back up when reheating.
Freezer
Pesto cream sauces are best fresh, since the cream can separate and the basil dulls on thawing. Keep leftovers to a few days in the fridge instead of freezing.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave at half power, stirring in a splash of milk or pasta water to loosen the sauce. High heat can make it greasy or grainy, so keep it low and slow.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
560
Protein
15g
Fat
30g
Carbs
55g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I keep pesto pasta green instead of dull?
Stir the pesto in off the heat, after the cream is warm and the pan is off the burner. Cooking pesto hard is what turns it a drab olive color, so adding it at the end keeps it bright and green.
What is the difference between this and Alfredo with pesto?
Here the pesto is a main ingredient, not a garnish: half a cup goes into a smaller amount of cream and Parmesan, so basil leads and the sauce is green, not white. It is built to taste of pesto first and cream second, rather than a rich Alfredo with a spoon of pesto swirled in.
Can I use store-bought pesto?
Yes, a jar of basil pesto is exactly what this recipe is built around and keeps it cheap and fast. Homemade works too if you have fresh basil, but it costs more; either way, use about half a cup.
How is $1.28 a plate figured?
About $5.12 for the whole skillet, four servings, so roughly $1.28 each. The jar of pesto is the biggest cost, and half of it sauces the entire pan with no meat needed.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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