Description
This 30-minute creamy pesto pasta has a smooth, thick sauce that sticks to every noodle and never separates.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lbs Penne pasta (uncooked)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Milk (or half and half)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1/2 tsp Chili flakes
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 cup Pesto
Instructions
- Step: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until it is al dente, reserving ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Step: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; sauté minced garlic and chili flakes for about 1 minute.
- Step: Pour in the heavy cream and milk, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Step: Whisk in the grated parmesan cheese until completely melted and the sauce is smooth; season with salt and black pepper.
- Step: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pesto and the reserved pasta water.
- Step: Add the cooked penne to the skillet and toss thoroughly until evenly coated in the sauce.
Notes
Sauté garlic only until fragrant to avoid bitterness. Stir pesto in at the end over low heat to prevent discoloration. Use reserved pasta water to bind the oils and cream into a smooth emulsion. For the best texture, grate Parmesan from a fresh block.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 737 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 92 mg
Keywords: Creamy Pesto Pasta, 30-minute meal, easy pasta dinner