Ready in less than 30 minutes, this Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta makes a great weeknight meal that everyone will love!
This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta is a delicious easy dish that can be prepared quickly with only a few ingredients. Sun-dried tomato pesto is packed with concentrated flavour which means that this dish can taste great with very little effort. It's a great option when you need something in a hurry and it just perfect for weeknight dinners as it can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Best of all, this is a kid-friendly recipe that will make everyone happy. If you have picky eaters in your household then you know how important it is to have good recipes that are easily adaptable, this recipe is perfect for that.
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How to Make it
There is so much flexibility with this creamy pesto pasta dish. For added protein, you can toss in some cooked diced chicken breast, sausage, ground beef or shrimp. This is a great way to use leftovers from a previous meal. You can also add some cooked veggies such as spinach, onions or mushrooms. Black or green olives would also be a delicious addition.
Here's an overview of the ingredients and steps for making this quick pasta dish, you can find the ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.
Ingredients Overview
- Dry pasta
- Mascarpone. Mascarpone cheese is a rich, thick and creamy cow’s milk cheese that has a mild flavour and can be used in sweet or savoury dishes. Adding it to this dish with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid from the pasta and the sun-dried tomato pesto makes this pasta dish nice and creamy.
- Sundried tomato pesto. You can also use basil pesto for this recipe.
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Fresh basil Leaves and red pepper flakes: Optional
Steps Overview
- Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
- When the pasta is al dente, remove ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining the pasta.
- Return the drained pasta to the pot and add the mascarpone, pesto and Parmigiano and stir over low heat. Slowly add just enough of the reserved water to the pasta until you have achieved the desired creaminess. You can adjust how creamy your pasta is by adding more or less mascarpone cheese and adding a bit more of the pasta water to adjust the consistency.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add fresh basil leaves and serve with more Parmigiano.
Storage Instructions
If you have any leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Enjoy!
More Pasta Dishes
- Creamy Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup
- Tomato Orzo Soup
- Easy Spaghetti Meat Sauce
- Shrimp, Spinach and Goat Cheese Penne
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound dried medium-sized pasta
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- 4 tablespoons sundried tomato pesto
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano more for serving
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Fresh basil Leaves
Instructions
- Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
- When the pasta is al dente, remove ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining the pasta.
- Return the drained pasta to the pot and add the mascarpone, pesto and Parmigiano and stir over low heat. Slowly add just enough of the reserved water to the pasta until you have achieved the desired creaminess.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add fresh basil leaves and serve with more Parmigiano.
kloesunny @ kloeskitchen.wordpress.com says
This looks so good! I love your blog! So beautiful!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thank you Kloé for the wonderful compliments. They are very appreciated. Just took a look at your blog and you have some great cookie recipes on there. My girls would love the kit kat cookies for sure!
nancyc says
This sounds like a wonderful dish–I love the flavor of sundried tomato pesto!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thank you Nancy! To be honest I usually use basil pesto but then noticed the sundried tomato pesto and decided to give it a try for a change. I'm glad I did!
ghina says
This sounds delicious! Looking forward to trying mascarpone in pasta! And I love that it takes so little time. Thanks for posting!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Thanks Ghina. The mascarpone makes the pasta really nice and creamy, but it is not a salty cheese, so make sure you add the parmigiano for extra flavour!
V says
Looks delicious!
What type of pasta is that? Also, do you have a recommended brand for the sun-dried tomato pesto?
Cheers!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
I used an artisanal pasta named Gnocchi Sardi, probably named that way because its shape resembles gnocchi. I found it in an Italian gourmet food shop. I don't have a recommended brand of pesto, the one I used for this recipe is called Paese mio, True Taste of Italy.
Thanks!
Jennifer says
This looks really good and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Glad you think so, thank you Jennifer!