This Pesto Pasta Recipe will be your new favorite weeknight dinner! Vibrant pesto tangled with whole wheat noodles, a handful of Parmesan, and whatever additions you please (tomatoes! spinach! chicken!) this is a fresh, fuss-free dinner to eat and repeat.
This pesto pasta gives you a taste of summer anytime of year!
From Grilled Pesto Chicken Skewers to Pesto Pasta Salad, Ben and I enjoy delicious pesto recipes all summer long.
And that’s why I love making this pesto pasta recipe when it’s not summer too. It gives me a little taste of my favorite time of year, even when there’s a foot of snow on the ground!
- Like my Chicken Pesto Pasta, it’s simple to make and ready in under 30 minutes, but it delivers majorly crowd-pleasing flavor.
- Enjoy it as-is, or top it with Air Fryer Chicken Breast or a vegetarian protein like white beans or plant-based sausage.
- Got leftovers? They’re awesome as a cold pasta salad for lunch the next day!
5 Star Review
“Simple yet delicious. Pesto adds so much flavor even to the simplest dishes and that’s why I love it so much. The addition of cherry tomatoes added an extra layer of deliciousness. Superb!”
— Julie —
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Whole Wheat Pasta. The best pasta shapes for pesto are long noodles, such as spaghetti, bucatini, capellini, or fettuccine. Short shapes like fusilli and rotini are also great, as they will catch the sauce in their ridges.
- Tomatoes. The sweetness of the tomatoes pairs wonderfully with the nutty, creamy pesto sauce. Tomatoes and pesto pair beautifully in Pesto Chicken, too!
- Pesto. Go with a classic basil pesto, or try a different pesto you enjoy for this recipe. I love making my own Basil Pesto whenever possible, but store-bought also works.
- Lemon Juice. For brightness, balance, and acidity.
- Red Pepper Flakes. Adds a touch of heat. If you prefer less spice, you can omit them.
- Greens. Sneak extra greens into your pasta by adding some arugula or spinach.
- Pine Nuts. A finishing sprinkle of toasted pine nuts adds texture and makes this dish complete.
- Parmesan. While Parmesan is best, if you need to swap it for another cheese, you could try Asiago or Pecorino Romano. Note that Pecorino is saltier, so you should add less.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cook the Pasta. Reserve some pasta water.
Cook the Tomatoes (photo 1). Cook until they’re beginning to burst.
Drain the Pasta (photo 2). Add it to the tomatoes.
Stir in the Pesto (photo 3). Toss with the juice, salt, and red pepper flakes until coated. Add reserved pasta water as desired.
Add the Greens (photo 4). Stir until they wilt.
Add Pine Nuts and Parmesan. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Make It Creamy. To make creamy pesto pasta, add Greek yogurt like the basil pesto from The Well Plated Cookbook.
- Veganize It. To make this recipe vegan, swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast.
- Add a Protein. Try Pan Seared Salmon or Air Fryer Shrimp.
- Bulk It Up With Extra Veggies. Mix Sautéed Mushrooms, Roasted Red Peppers, or Grilled Eggplant into your pasta.
What to Serve with Pesto Pasta
- Salad. A simple salad like my Arugula Salad would be tasty with this recipe.
- Bread. Try Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or No Knead Focaccia.
- Veggies. This Sautéed Zucchini Recipe is scrumptious paired with this pasta.
- Meatballs. Turkey Meatballs or Chicken Meatballs would be perfect!
Pesto Pasta Recipe
Video
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti pasta or fettuccini or another long pasta, which works well for pesto
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ to ⅔ cup Basil Pesto or prepared pesto of choice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 cups arugula or spinach
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts* optional for serving
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. RESERVE 3/4 CUP OF THE PASTA WATER.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until beginning to burst, about 4 minutes.
- As soon as the pasta is finished cooking (don’t forget to reserve 3/4 cup of the water), drain it, then immediately add the pasta to the skillet with the tomatoes.
- Add the pesto, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat the noodles with the pesto, adding additional pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Add the arugula, stirring until it wilts.
- Sprinkle with pine nuts and Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt as desired. Serve immediately, with additional Parmesan.
Notes
- *TO TOAST THE PINE NUTS: Place the nuts in a small, dry skillet. Toast over low heat, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and toasted, about 4 minutes. Immediately remove from the skillet.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate pesto pasta in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze pasta in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Simple yet delicious. Pesto adds so much flavor even to the simplest dishes and that’s why I love it so much. The addition of cherry tomatoes added an extra layer of deliciousness. Superb! Thank you, Erin!
Agreed! Thank you Julie!
Quick and easy – just how I like a recipe when I get off of work and want to eat right away without spending a ton of time in the kitchen. This is a go-to base recipe to add any protein of your choice. I usually prefer sauteed shrimp with pesto, but chicken works as well.
Love it! Thank you Kristen!
Dang this was good. I used penne pasta for this recipe coz that is what I had on hand. I love everything about this dish. Everything works well together, the flavors were awesome.
Yay! Thank you Gwen!
I have been making this for at least 20 years. I add grilled marinated bell peppers, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, zucchini, and chicken. Everyone loves it. I have made a version with Italian vinaigrette instead of pesto, and that is also well received.
Thanks Deb!
This turned out pretty good but I think it depends a lot on the pesto you use. Mine was homemade, so the flavor was really fresh and bright. I added some roasted zucchini to mine which worked nicely. It’s not a heavy meal, which I liked. Would make again for a quick dinner.
Hi Barbara! Yes, the pesto matters! Thank you!
Loved how quick and easy this recipe was. The pesto had such a fresh taste and the pasta came out really creamy. I added extra parmesan because why not. Perfect for a quick dinner.
Thank you Janette!
Tried this recipe earlier and it was really fresh and light. The pesto really carries the whole dish, so you don’t need a lot of extra ingredients. It was super easy and didn’t take much effort at all. Definitely something I’d make again when I’m short on time.
So glad to hear, Jaymie! Thank you!