Creamy pesto pasta is a luscious Italian-inspired delight that combines rotini pasta with a velvety sauce made from a classic pesto, cream cheese, and ricotta cheese. The dish bursts with vibrant flavors of fresh basil and the nutty flavors of pine nuts, while the combination of creamy cheeses adds a rich and indulgent creaminess.
What is Creamy Pesto Pasta?
Creamy pesto pasta takes a typical pesto to a new level of deliciousness. Rotini, with its corkscrew-like shape, provides the perfect texture for capturing and holding the creamy pesto sauce, ensuring that every bite is infused with flavor. Meanwhile, the sauce is a unique spin on a traditional pesto. Made with traditional ingredients that form the foundation of a pesto, such as basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and garlic; a mix of cream cheese and ricotta cheese is also added to make the sauce luscious and creamy.
What do you need to make it?
Cream cheese: Cream cheese is one of the creamy components in the sauce. It adds a smooth and velvety texture, enhancing the richness of the sauce. The mild, slightly tangy flavor of cream cheese complements the other ingredients without overpowering the delicate taste of the pesto.
Ricotta cheese: Ricotta cheese is another creamy element that enhances the sauce’s texture. Ricotta also has a mild, milky flavor that works well with the other ingredients, contributing to the overall richness of the pasta.
Basil: Basil is an essential herb in pesto and plays a central role in defining the dish’s flavor. Its fresh, aromatic, and slightly sweet taste infuses the sauce with vibrant herbal notes. Basil is the key ingredient that gives pesto its characteristic green color.
Olive oil: Olive oil serves as the binding agent for the pesto sauce, helping to blend the ingredients into a smooth and cohesive mixture. Additionally, it adds a pleasant fruity and nutty flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the sauce. For best results, use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
Pine nuts: Pine nuts are a crucial ingredient in traditional pesto sauce. They contribute a delicate, buttery, and nutty taste that complements the basil’s herbal flavors. When blended with the other ingredients, pine nuts help create a creamy and slightly grainy texture characteristic of pesto.
Parmesan cheese: Its nutty and salty notes provide depth to the dish, balancing out the herbal and creamy components. Additionally, Parmesan cheese contributes to the creamy pesto pasta’s richness and enhances the overall taste.
Garlic: Garlic is a powerhouse of flavor in the pesto sauce. Its pungent and aromatic profile infuses the sauce with a subtle spicy kick and a hint of sharpness. When combined with the other ingredients, garlic amplifies the sauce’s taste, giving it a well-rounded flavor profile.
Pasta: We use rotini pasta, as its nooks and crannies do a great job of trapping the creamy sauce. However, other pasta noodles can be used, such as penne or spaghetti.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta is best served warm. Before serving, garnish it with some fresh basil leaves or grated parmesan cheese. It can be served alongside a side salad or with some bread to scoop up any extra sauce.
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Serves: 4
Ready in: 15 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 8oz of rotini
- 2 tablespoons of cream cheese
- 3/4 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup of basil leaves, packed
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of pine nuts
- 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Salt, to taste
Method
Step 1
Boil the pasta per package instructions.
Step 2
In a food processor, blend the basil, ricotta, cream cheese, olive oil, salt, pine nuts, parmesan, and garlic until smooth.
Step 3
Mix the sauce with the pasta until evenly coated.
Delicious Defined 
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