Pesto Pasta

This Pesto Pasta is easy to make and so flavorful! Learn how to make the best pesto pasta in less than 30 minutes. Use basil pesto or your favorite pesto; see the recipe variations in the post above to make it creamy or add chicken or salmon.

📝 Ingredients

• 16 ounces spaghetti (or your favorite pasta)
• 1 cup basil pesto sauce*
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for serving)
• chopped fresh basil (optional, for garnish)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Once the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Then drain the pasta into a colander (do not rinse). Transfer the pasta to a clean bowl or pot (not the hot pasta cooking pot).
2. 2To the pasta, add about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water along with the pesto sauce, adding a little bit of the pesto at a time, stirring until well combined after each addition. If the sauce seems too thick or is not coating the pasta well, add more pasta cooking water 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until the pesto evenly coats the pasta without seeming dry.
3. 3Serve pesto pasta topped with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese. If desired, add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat and a bit of chopped fresh basil. Enjoy!