10 Minute Creamy Pesto Pasta Sauce
A fast and insanely delicious creamy pesto sauce with simple ingredients, perfect for busy weeknights. Amped up with extra garlic, parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl Large
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 0.75 cup single or light cream
- 25 grams parmesan finely grated
- 0.33 cup basil pesto
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 200 grams pasta of your choice
Instructions
Instructions
- Boil salted water in a large pot.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a pan or pressure cooker over medium. Sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Lower heat, add cream, and stir gently for 2–3 minutes.
- Add parmesan in two parts, melting fully between each addition.
- Stir in pesto, black pepper, and lemon juice. Combine until smooth and let simmer 1–2 minutes.
- Add cooked pasta, reserved water if needed, and salt to season. Mix gently and serve.
Notes
Use pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Reserve before draining pasta. Homemade or quality store-bought pesto works well. Best served fresh, but can be stored in fridge for 3–4 days.