Creamy Pesto Pasta
This Creamy Pesto Pasta is the ultimate weeknight meal, blending rich heavy cream with vibrant basil pesto to create a velvety sauce that clings beautifully to ziti. Enhanced with aromatic garlic and sharp Pecorino Romano, this dish delivers restaurant-quality flavors in under thirty minutes. It is a comforting, accessible, and decadent Italian-inspired feast that perfectly balances herbal notes with a silky texture.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces ziti pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup high-quality basil pesto
- 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.
- Cook ziti until al dente.
- Reserve 1/3 cup of starchy pasta water and drain the noodles.
- Toss the pasta with olive oil to prevent clumping.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and stir until warmed through.
- Whisk in the pesto, grated Pecorino Romano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer the sauce gently until slightly thickened.
- Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water to the sauce, tossing until well coated and emulsified.
Notes
Use high-quality fresh or store-bought pesto for the best flavor. Pecorino Romano provides a sharp, salty finish, but Parmigiano-Reggiano can be used as a milder alternative. Ensure the garlic does not brown to keep the sauce flavor clean and aromatic. The reserved pasta water is key to getting the sauce to stick to the noodles perfectly.