This pasta with creamy pesto transforms simple ingredients into restaurant-quality comfort food in just 20 minutes. Made with mascarpone cheese for richness, this creamy pesto pasta uses traditional trofie pasta (or any twisted shape) to capture every drop of sauce. Whether you serve it as a vegetarian main or add your favorite protein, this recipe delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort.
If pesto is your idea of a good time, try my creamy pesto salmon pasta and shrimp pesto pasta next.
Why Trofie Pasta Changes Everything
My first taste of trofie became an instant core memory. Arriving late to a tiny Ligurian village in 2018, we found a takeaway shop open. They offered three handmade pastas, each with a different sauce, so we ordered all three and ate them sitting on our bed overlooking the hillside village. That twisted, hand-rolled pasta grabbed every drop of homemade pesto, and I instantly understood why this shape was born in Liguria alongside pesto itself.
Ingredients for Creamy Pesto Pasta
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Pro Tips for Perfect Creamy Pesto Pasta
Choose the right pasta shape. Twisted or ridged pasta like trofie, casarecce or gemelli grabs and holds the creamy sauce better than smooth shapes like penne or rigatoni.
Save that pasta water. The starchy liquid is crucial for creating a silky sauce that clings without being heavy. Always reserve at least a cup before draining. You won't use it all but too much is better than not enough.
Warm, don't boil. Keep the heat at medium when combining the mascarpone and pesto. Too much heat can cause the mascarpone to break and become grainy.
Step-by-Step Instructions: A Visual Guide
That's it! Four ingredients and four simple steps to pasta perfection! Ready to make this your new weeknight go-to? Here's the full recipe for easy saving and printing.
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Pasta with Creamy Pesto
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Rich, restaurant-quality pasta made with just 4 simple ingredients. Mascarpone makes a luxuriously creamy sauce that clings to every piece of pasta. Ready in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces trofie pasta (or casarecce, gemelli, or cavatappi)
- ¾ cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil and grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add ⅓ cup of the hot pasta water along with pesto, mascarpone, and red pepper flakes if using. Whisk gently for about 2 minutes until mascarpone melts completely and sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet with sauce. Using tongs, gently toss to coat, adding more pasta water a splash at a time if needed to achieve a glossy, coating consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
- Pasta water is your friend: Use it generously to thin the sauce. The starch helps everything bind together beautifully.
- Quality pesto makes a difference: Store-bought is fine, but choose a brand with visible basil pieces and good olive oil, not one that's mostly oil and preservatives.
- Storage tip: Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of cream or pasta water to restore creaminess.
- Protein additions: Fold in cooked salmon, shrimp, or chicken during the final toss. Precooked proteins just need to warm through.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipe
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 649
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 860.4 mg
- Fat: 31.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 69.8 g
- Protein: 21.3 g
- Cholesterol: 22.5 mg
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