Creamy Pesto - The Recipe Critic (2023)

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This creamy pesto sauce is so bright and full of fresh flavor, and the best part is that no cooking is required! This quick and easy creamy sauce is ready in just 15 minutes and pairs perfectly with your favorite cooked pasta.

I love a quick and easy pasta recipe. My kids all love them too! It's a great way to have dinner ready in no time and I know everyone will be full and happy. Homemade pasta sauces are the best way! They don't have to be complicated to be absolutely delicious. You will love this super easy homemadeAlfredo Sauce, that is deliciousMushroom sauce, and it's very simpleCherry tomato sauce.

Creamy pesto sauce

If you love homemade pasta, you have to try this easy Creamy Pesto Sauce! This truly is the easiest and tastiest pasta sauce you will ever make. It's that good, and all you need is your food processor. You heard me, you don't have to cook anything for this sauce. It's made with delicious fresh ingredients like pine nuts, parmesan cheese, basil and garlic. They add cream and olive oil to bring it all together. You can add a little lemon juice to brighten it up and pepper to taste. It is so easy!

You can prepare this sauce to go over itZucchini Noodlesfor an all-round healthy and tasty meal. Another way I've enjoyed it is on topnoodles noodlesand theSpinach Artichoke Pasta. It's really good, whatever your favorite pasta is! I've even put it on chicken breasts and fish, and it was absolutely delicious. Whichever way you choose to make this sauce, I think you'll fall in love with this easy and flavorful recipe.

Ingredients

Creamy pesto is super easy to make with just 6 ingredients and salt to taste. You can use pine nuts or walnuts. The biggest difference between the two is the way they blend and the taste. I personally prefer pine nuts because I think they're softer and have a really good flavor. Whatever you choose, I would definitely pop them in the oven and get them nice and toasty. You can find the dimensions in the recipe card below.

• Raw pine nuts or walnuts:Any nut will work great. You want to get raw nuts and then toast them in a pan before adding them to this sauce.
• Parmesan cheese:Grate fresh Parmesan cheese or buy it pre-shredded. I prefer to grate it myself so it's nice and fresh with no added preservatives.
• Fresh Basil:Basil is a key ingredient in this sauce as it is very similar to basil pesto. You will need about 6 ounces of fresh basil.
• Garlic:Garlic pairs perfectly with basil and parmesan. You take fresh garlic cloves and throw them in the food processor.
• Kosher Salt:A quality salt makes all the difference! A little salt helps bring out all the delicious flavors in the sauce.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil:This is the base of the sauce, and using olive oil is really important! It has the best flavor and mixes together to make the sauce really smooth.
• whipped cream:Heavy cream makes this sauce creamy and irresistible. I love the flavor and texture that heavy cream adds. I bet you could use other milk alternatives or leave it out and just add more olive oil as needed to get the right consistency.

Creamy pesto sauce recipe

I love pesto cream sauce for so many reasons, but probably what I love most is because it's so easy to make. It's so fresh and full of nutty savory flavors. you want onefood processorfor this recipe. I haven't tried it in a blender so I'm not sure it would work exactly the same but I think you could get away with it.

1. Roasted Nuts:Place the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until light golden brown, toasted and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly and put in the food processor.
2. Pulse in the food processor:Place half of the basil leaves in a food processor with the pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic cloves and salt. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped.
3. Scratch sides:Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the food processor, then add the remaining basil. Continue to pulse until a paste-like consistency forms.
4. Add olive oil:Remove the lid and slowly pour in half the olive oil and mix the ingredients until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
5. Add cream:With the engine running, slowly pour in ½ cup heavy cream and process until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Taste and season with more Kosher salt as needed.
6. Throw and enjoy:Mix with warm cooked pasta and enjoy!