Creamy Pesto Pasta

About This Creamy Pesto Pasta

This Creamy Pesto Pasta is the easiest, dreamiest summer pasta — rich, herby, silky, and bursting with fresh basil flavor. Just a handful of ingredients come together in minutes: homemade pesto, heavy cream, butter, and pasta water create a luscious sauce that clings beautifully to any pasta. Serve it plain, or take it over the top with brown butter scallops, grilled shrimp, or chicken. It’s quick, flexible, and perfect for warm-weather dinners.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in under 20 minutes

• Uses fresh summer basil for peak flavor

• Extra creamy without being heavy

• Works with any pasta shape

• Easy to customize with shrimp, scallops, chicken, or no protein at all

• Comforting yet bright — the perfect warm-weather pasta dish

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Angel hair or any pasta you love

• Fresh pesto (homemade is best!)

• Heavy whipping cream

• Butter

• Red pepper flakes

• Pasta cooking water

• Salt

• Parmigiano Reggiano for serving

• Optional proteins: scallops, shrimp, chicken

How to Make It

Melt butter in a pan and stir in the pesto and red pepper flakes. Slowly add heavy cream to create a silky, herb-infused sauce. Season with salt. Add cooked pasta directly into the sauce and toss to coat, loosening with pasta water as needed until creamy and glossy. Finish with Parmigiano Reggiano and your favorite protein.

Tips for Success

• Use high-quality basil pesto: Fresh, homemade pesto makes a huge difference.

• Add cream slowly: Helps the sauce emulsify smoothly.

• Don’t skip pasta water: It thickens and binds the sauce.

• Salt at the end: Pesto and cheese already contain salt.

• Switch up the pasta shape: Linguine, fettuccine, orecchiette, or spaghetti all work.

• Add protein or keep it simple: Scallops and shrimp pair beautifully, but chicken or no protein also work great.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought pesto?
Yes — but fresh homemade pesto will always taste brighter and more vibrant.

Can I make this without cream?
You can substitute half-and-half, but the sauce won’t be as thick or glossy.

Does angel hair get mushy?
Cook it al dente. Or choose a heartier pasta like linguine or penne.

Can I make this ahead?
Best served fresh, but leftovers reheat well with a splash of cream or water.

Can I add vegetables?
Absolutely — cherry tomatoes, peas, spinach, or asparagus are great additions.

What to Serve With This Pasta

• Brown butter scallops

• Grilled shrimp

• Seared chicken breast

• Garlic bread or focaccia

• Simple arugula salad

• Roasted vegetables

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Ina Garten Lasagna

• Spicy Vodka Pasta (Carbone Copycat)

• Pesto Sausage Lasagna

• Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs

• The BEST Lasagna

• Salmon Wellington

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• ½ lb angel hair pasta (or any pasta you like), cooked

• ¾ cup fresh pesto (recipe here)

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 2–3 tablespoons butter

• Red pepper flakes (optional)

• ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water

• Salt, to taste

• Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

• Optional proteins: brown butter scallops, grilled shrimp, or chicken

Instructions

1. Make the Sauce
   In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the pesto and red pepper flakes. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and stir until smooth. Let the sauce cook for about a minute. Season with salt to taste.

2. Add the Pasta
   Add the cooked pasta directly to the pan and toss to coat. Add pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is creamy and clings to the noodles.
   • Add more pasta water to thin
   • Simmer 1–2 minutes if you want it thicker

3. Serve
   Top with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and your protein of choice.