Cream Cheese Pesto Pasta (Printable Version)

Pasta tossed in a smooth cream cheese pesto with fresh basil and crunchy pine nuts for a delightful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Pesto Sauce

03 - 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
06 - 2 tablespoons pine nuts, plus extra for garnish
07 - 2 garlic cloves
08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
02 - While pasta cooks, add basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
03 - Add softened cream cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Add cream cheese pesto sauce and toss thoroughly to coat. Gradually add reserved pasta water until sauce is silky and clings to every piece of pasta.
05 - Divide pasta among serving plates. Top each portion with toasted pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The cream cheese creates a silky sauce that clings to every strand without feeling heavy or overpowering.
  • Fresh basil and lemon keep everything bright and alive, so it tastes like spring on a plate no matter the season.
  • It comes together in 25 minutes, which means you can have dinner ready faster than you can scroll through your phone.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water before you drain, because that starch is what helps the sauce cling and flow instead of sitting in a puddle at the bottom of the bowl.
  • The food processor can turn basil bitter if you go too far, so pulse in short bursts and stop the moment everything looks evenly combined.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan while the pasta cooks, so you're not juggling multiple tasks at the end.
  • Blend your pesto sauce while the pasta is still cooking, that way everything comes together the moment you need it.
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