Pesto pasta is a delicious and easy meal you can toss together in less than 30 minutes. It’s one of the last minute emergency meals we use when no one is in the mood to cook. Even our teens make this when we’re not around.
Pesto Pasta with chicken, tomatoes, Parmesan and basil pesto on whole wheat spaghetti.
Variations of Pesto Pasta
Not only is it easy, it’s super versatile too with endless variations.
Petso Pasta with walnut arugula pesto and cherry tomatoes on rotini pasta.
Here are just a few ideas for switching things up. What else can you think of?
replace the chicken with walnuts, pine nuts, Italian sausage or nothing
replace steak seasoning with lemon pepper, cajun, Italian Seasoning, hot pepper flakes or whatever you like
use whatever kind of pasta you enjoy – whole wheat, gluten free, long pasta, short pasta, etc.
replace pasta with spaghetti squash or spiralized veggie noodles like zucchini or butternut squash
Basil pesto with chicken, tomatoes and mozza on spiralized zucchini.
skip the cherry tomatoes
add fresh basil leaves instead of or in addition to pesto
use homemade basil pesto, store bought pesto made with any kind of greens and nuts/seeds
top with your favorite cheese or leave it out – try Parmesan, goat cheese, Pecorino, old cheddar, etc.
add a handful of greens to the mix – try spinach, swiss chard or kale
Enjoy this classic pesto pasta recipe with basil pesto, tomatoes and chicken or use it as a template to create your own version. So quick and easy. For assembly tips read full article.
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Slice chicken into bite size pieces and saute in canola oil until cooked through, 5 minutes.
Drain pasta reserving about 1 cup of cooking water.
Pour pasta in large serving bowl, top with pesto and 1/4 cup of pasta water. Mix well adding more pasta water as needed to create a nice glossy sauce and distribute the pesto all over.
Toss in chicken and tomatoes.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately on warmed plates and top with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Variations:
omit chicken or replace with walnuts
choose whatever type of pesto you prefer
use salt and pepper, hot pepper flakes, Italian seasoning instead of steak seasoning
replace pasta with spiralized veggie noodles
use whatever kind of cheese you prefer
add greens like spinach or kale for extra goodness
Here are a few tips for assembling the pesto. Sometimes we get lazy and don’t do all of these things, but when we do we’re reminded that it’s worth the extra 2 minutes.
Keep it Hot, But off the Stove Top – Basil does not like heat and will turn black and taste a little bitter if heated too much. So it’s best to assemble pesto pasta in the final serving bowl and not on the stove or the pot that the pasta was cooked in. To ensure your final dish is hot enough to enjoy, use piping hot pasta and chicken pieces hot from the pan.
Use the Pasta Water – Using pasta water is the not-so-secret cooking hack that’s been used ever since pasta was invented. It’s starchy and salty and is perfect to ensure your pasta and pesto come together without being dry. The starch from the pasta water emulsifies (binds/mixes) with the oil in the pesto. As you stir in the pasta water, the pesto mixes in nicely and coats the pasta perfectly.
Serve on Warm Plates – A simple touch that will keep the pasta at just the right temperature. And, if you’re warming up the plates, you might as well warm up the serving/mixing bowl.
Using Zucchini Noodles – When the zucchini are bountiful, this is one of our favorite recipes for spiralized zucchini noodles. Add the spiralized zucchini to a skillet and sauté them over medium heat for only 1-2 minutes. You just want them to get hot, overcooking will turn them too soft and mushy. Remove the zucchini noodles from the pan and toss them with the pesto. The moisture from the zucchini noodles will replace the pasta water and all will be good.
Spiralized zucchini noodles with basil pesto, goat cheese, tomatoes and pine nuts.Arugula and walnut pesto with tomatoes and walnuts on pasta shells.When you don’t have pesto but plenty of basil!
Going through all these photos, it’s clear we make this dish a lot! Rarely does it ever look the same.
I’d love to hear if you make pesto pasta and your favorite variation. Tag me with any photos so I can see it and like it! I’m on instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.
Keep it Hot, But off the Stove Top – Basil does not like heat and will turn black and taste a little bitter if heated too much. So it’s best to assemble pesto pasta in the final serving bowl and not on the stove or the pot that the pasta was cooked in. To ensure your final dish is hot enough to enjoy, use piping hot pasta and chicken pieces hot from the pan.
Use the Pasta Water – Using pasta water is the not-so-secret cooking hack that’s been used ever since pasta was invented. It’s starchy and salty and is perfect to ensure your pasta and pesto come together without being dry. The starch from the pasta water emulsifies (binds/mixes) with the oil in the pesto. As you stir in the pasta water, the pesto mixes in nicely and coats the pasta perfectly.
Serve on Warm Plates – A simple touch that will keep the pasta at just the right temperature. And, if you’re warming up the plates, you might as well warm up the serving/mixing bowl.
Using Zucchini Noodles – When the zucchini are bountiful, this is one of our favorite recipes for spiralized zucchini noodles. Add the spiralized zucchini to a skillet and sauté them over medium heat for only 1-2 minutes. You just want them to get hot, overcooking will turn them too soft and mushy. Remove the zucchini noodles from the pan and toss them with the pesto. The moisture from the zucchini noodles will replace the pasta water and all will be good.
