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Quick and Creamy One-Pot Pesto Pasta

Close-up of creamy pesto pasta made with fusilli noodles and shredded chicken.
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Make this rich, velvety pesto pasta in one pot for a fast and satisfying weeknight dinner. This recipe delivers maximum flavor with minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound pasta (penne or rotini work well)
  • 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1 cup prepared basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken (optional add-in)

Instructions

  1. Place the pasta and water or broth into a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
  2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the pasta, stirring often to prevent sticking, until it is al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed or evaporated.
  3. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, basil pesto, and Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and coats the pasta.
  4. If using, stir in the cooked chicken now. Heat through for 1 minute.
  5. Season the pasta with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if desired.
  6. Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Notes

  • For a brighter flavor, stir in 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick after adding the cream.
  • If you skip the chicken, this recipe is a fantastic vegetarian pesto pasta option.
  • Use fresh basil pesto for the best flavor in this simple pesto sauce.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cravybite.link/creamy-one-pot-pesto-pasta-recipe/