Best Pesto Pasta with cream Recipe (Ready in 20 Minutes)

This pesto pasta with cream recipe is quick, comforting, and absolutely delicious. With just simple ingredients and 20 minutes, you are away from creamy, herby, savory pesto sauce, which gives restaurant vibes. It’s quick and easy to throw together, use store-bought or my homemade basil pesto to make it an even luscious, creamy sauce flavoured with parmesan cheese and garlic. If you’re cooking for family, a cozy date night, or simply craving comfort food, this dish delivers every time.

Peers who have been following Pastasphere recipes know that pesto is one of my favorite kitchen shortcuts for adding instant flavor to any dish. While homemade pesto may sound fancy, it’s surprisingly quick and easy to make. Whenever I have a few extra minutes, I blend up a batch of basil pesto and keep it in the fridge. That way, I can toss it into pasta like this pesto pasta with cream recipe on busy days when I need a delicious meal fast.

Why Pesto Pasta with cream Recipe Works

• Fast & easy: From boiling pasta to stirring the sauce, the whole dish is ready in under 20 minutes.
• Use any pasta: This recipe works with any pasta shape, fettuccine, penne, spaghetti, or even gluten-free options. Even leftover pasta can be used that you want to use up!
• Adaptable: Make it vegetarian, vegan, or add protein like chicken, shrimp, or even roasted veggies.
• Simple yet creamy: This pesto pasta with cream recipe uses simple ingredients that you can easily get from any grocery store. Moreover, this creamy, garlicky, basil pesto pasta tastes like Italian takeout.
• Budget-friendly- This recipe is budget-friendly and perfect to serve in family gatherings or on weekends.

Homemade Pesto vs. Store-Bought

Making pesto is a lot better, and nothing beats the fresh, peppery flavor of homemade basil pesto in summer. The nice thing about pesto is that you can do different variations than traditional basil and pine nuts. I like pistachios or walnuts, kale, and hemp nuts and basil, or even a simple blend of walnuts and pine nuts. But high-quality store-bought versions work just as well.

Pro tip: Refrigerated pesto tastes fresher and more vibrant than shelf-stable jars. If you’re making your own, use extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, pine nuts (or walnuts), and garlic for the most authentic flavor.

Pesto Pasta with Cream Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

For homemade Pesto Sauce:

• Basil Leaves: For this pesto sauce recipe, use fresh basil.
• Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil because it adds a great taste to the pesto.
• Roasted Pine Nuts: Make sure to use unroasted pine nuts. If you’re allergic to nuts, you can skip these.
• Garlic Cloves: Use the freshly peeled garlic for a better taste.
• Salt: Use any salt you have on hand.

Pesto Cream Sauce

• Olive oil 1 tablespoon 
• Garlic, minced 2 cloves 
•  Black pepper ¼ teaspoon
• lemon juice ½ tablespoon fresh
• Heavy Cream: ¾ cup of heavy cream. Feel free to swap heavy cream for non-dairy alternatives if you prefer.
• Parmesan Cheese: Use 25 grams freshly grated.
• Pasta: I use gemelli pasta, but any pasta type can work here.
• Pesto: ⅓ cup basil pesto, either homemade or store-bought!
• Salt to taste

Optional Add-Ins:

• Cooked chicken breast, shrimp, or roasted veggies
• Cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, or fresh basil for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making Homemade Pesto

1. Add the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until it is finely chopped, then blend in the olive oil until the mixture comes into a smooth pesto. Add a little more olive oil if you prefer a thinner consistency.
2. Keep your pesto in the fridge to keep it looking fresh and vibrant longer.  Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto paste. This process seals out oxygen and prevents browning; it is optional, but a great tip if you want it to stay bright green.
3. Transfer the pesto paste to a wide-mouth mason jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or you can freeze it for up to 1 year. The reason I prefer wide-mouth jars is that they’re freezer-friendly and make scooping out the pesto so much easier.

Pesto Pasta with Cream Recipe

Boil a large pot of generously salted water over high heat, and cook the gemelli pasta al dente (take one minute off the cooking time) or according to the package instructions.

Take a large skillet over medium heat, add in the butter and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant, don’t burn.

Pour the heavy cream, milk, and pesto into the skillet. Stir and cook for 1 minute to warm, then add in the parmesan cheese over low heat.

Grab the cooked pasta straight from the boiling water into the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Splash in a little reserved pasta water to loosen it and make it silky.

Serve this creamy pesto pasta warm and immediately, garnished with parmesan cheese.

Expert Tips

• Best Pasta Choice: Gemili pasta holds creamy sauces beautifully, but shorter shapes like penne or rigatoni trap more sauce in their ridges.
• Protein Boost: Add in grilled chicken, shrimp, or white beans for extra protein.
• Vegan Option: Use dairy-free butter, vegan pesto, and plant-based cream as substitutes. Nutritional yeast can also swap Parmesan for a cheesy flavor.
• Flavor Upgrade: Add sun-dried tomatoes or sautéed mushrooms for extra depth.
• Storage: Keeps in the fridge up to 5 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water to restore creaminess. Freeze in an airtight jar for up to 6 months.

Why Pasta Water Works

Adding pasta water to your sauce isn’t just an old Italian trick; there is a science behind too. The starch in the water helps the cream and pesto in blending, creating a silky sauce that clings to pasta instead of separating. This small step transforms a good pasta into an outstanding dish.

Final Thoughts

This pesto pasta with cream recipe is everything you want in a weeknight dinner: flavorful, flexible, and comforting. It brings together the freshness of basil pesto with the richness of cream, making this dish not only indulgent but it is incredibly simple to make.

Whether you stick with the classic version or make it vegan, gluten-free, or protein-packed, this versatile recipe proves that a delicious pasta can cook without spending hours in the kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions