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Creamy Pesto Sauce

Creamy Pesto Sauce Recipe

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 680
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 lb dried pasta (such as linguine or penne)

Method
 

  1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a blender. Pulse, then drizzle in olive oil with the motor running and blend until almost smooth, about 30 seconds.
  2. Scrape the sides, add heavy cream and lemon juice, and pulse until silky, about 10 seconds. Do not over-blend.
  3. Cook pasta al dente, reserve 1 cup starchy water, then drain. Return pasta to low heat, add pesto, and toss 1 to 2 minutes with splashes of reserved water until glossy. Serve hot with extra Parmesan.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, make sure the cream is at room temperature before blending. If you are serving later, toss the pasta with just a little oil first and store the sauce separately, combining them when reheating.