This Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe with fettuccine, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes tossed in a rich pesto Alfredo sauce. Ready in 30 minutes or less!
author’s note
The Pasta I Keep Making on Repeat!
I’ve always loved pesto. If I’m at a restaurant and there’s a pesto option, I’m ordering it. And anytime I’m making a creamy pasta like fettuccine Alfredo, I find myself wishing I had stirred in a big spoonful of pesto to boost the flavor. So eventually, I decided to build a whole recipe around that idea.
This creamy pesto pasta combines everything I love. Fettuccine in a rich and velvety pesto, Alfredo sauce with tender broccoli, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes. If you’re anything like me and can’t get enough of pesto, this one is going to be a new favorite.
Ingredients In Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe
- Fettuccine: Swap with linguine or tagliatelle if preferred.
- Broccoli: Cook it with the pasta to save time and simplify prep.
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives more control over final seasoning.
- Heavy Cream: For a lighter version, use half-and-half (the sauce won’t be as thick).
- Pesto: Use freshly made or refrigerated pesto, not jarred shelf-stable kinds.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated melts better and gives a smoother sauce.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: Use julienne-cut for ease, or slice whole ones before adding.
How To Make Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe
- While boiling pasta and broccoli, cook minced garlic in butter until fragrant.
- Mix in heavy cream and chicken stock.
- Add basil pesto and Parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put in sun-dried tomatoes and let it simmer briefly to thicken the sauce.
- Combine the drained pasta and broccoli with the sauce.
- Toss creamy pesto pasta together well.
- Serve with fresh basil, extra Parmesan, pine nuts, red pepper flakes, or pesto chicken.
Tips For Success
- Salt Pasta Water: Add 1 tbsp of table salt once the water boils. Wait for it to start boiling again before adding the pasta.
- Adjust Sauce: Keep extra cream, pesto, and broth close. Add more if the pasta needs.
- Grate Parmesan Finely: Use a fine grater to get light, soft cheese that melts easily and is great for topping.
- Toast Pine Nuts: Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry pan until they smell nutty. It makes them taste better.
Storage
Leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of heavy cream or chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce.
More Easy Pasta Dishes:
Salads
Greek Pasta Salad
Dinner
Pesto Chicken Tortellini
Dinner
Bruschetta Pasta
Dinner
Red and White Pasta
Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe
Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe combines fettuccine, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich pesto Alfredo sauce. Easy, flavorful, and ready in 30 minutes or less!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fettuccine not an entire box
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup basil pesto see note 1
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained, see note 2
- Optional additions see note 3
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt the boiling water; I add a heaping tablespoon of salt. Add in the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Add the chopped broccoli to the boiling water 2–3 minutes before the pasta will be done, stir, and continue cooking until pasta is ready. Drain both and set aside for a minute.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet (big enough to hold all the pasta), add the butter. Heat over medium heat until melted, then add in minced garlic. Stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Lower the heat if it’s sizzling or browning. Add heavy cream and chicken stock. Stir to warm through, then add in prepared pesto and freshly grated Parmesan. Season the sauce to taste; I add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Lower the heat to low and add the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add the hot drained pasta and broccoli to the sauce and toss with tongs to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings; you may need an extra splash of heavy cream and/or chicken stock and an extra spoonful of pesto depending on how much sauce the pasta is absorbing. Remove from heat and divide onto plates.
- If desired, top individual plates with additional freshly grated Parmesan, toasted pine nuts (see note 3), fresh basil, and an extra sprinkle of freshly cracked pepper (or red pepper flakes if you’d like some heat).
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: The pesto is the most important ingredient in the cream sauce! Look for freshly made basil pesto (or make your own), not the preserved/jarred pesto. Freshly made pesto is typically near fresh (not dried) pasta or in the produce section. My favorites are Buitoni’s® pesto with basil or Rana’s® Basil pesto.
Note 2: I like the sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and herbs because they add lots of flavor with no extra effort! I recommend the julienne-cut tomatoes to save you the step of chopping.
Note 3: Optional: 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, ribboned, additional Parmesan cheese for topping, and/or red pepper flakes for heat.
- To toast pine nuts, place in a small saucepan over low heat. Lightly toast them until fragrant by stirring them for about 2–4 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 59.3g | Protein: 16.2g | Fat: 21.8g | Cholesterol: 39.9mg | Sodium: 368.7mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4.5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
During COVID-19 lockdown, I got an insane craving for pesto pasta with sun dried tomatoes and came across this recipe and BOY was it a hit at this household!!!! I can’t even cook and it turned out SO good. Roommate even said it tasted like it was restaurant worthy!!! I found several recipes, but when I saw that this one used heavy cream I knew it was “the one”. We used some local herb and oil infused sun dried tomatoes which gave it that extra zing and also some locally made pesto from our local farmers market type grocery store. I can’t say enough good things! It was perfect. Thank you!!!!!
I am so happy to hear this! Pesto and sun dried tomatoes are just the best combination! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
OMG, this pasta is sooo good!!
I used her “chicken marinade recipe” to marinade the fish we added to the TOP of the pasta + the butter lemon sauce, WOW! I told my husband it would be a $30 dish or more in a restaurant.
https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com /grilled-chicken-marinade/
I am seriously so happy to hear how much you loved this!! Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂
This dish is delicious and very easy to make. Thank you so much!
YAYY!! So happy you enjoyed! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Not necessarily a big fan of pesto but both my husband and I enjoyed this pasta dish very much. And thank you for including the salt and pepper amount you use. (opposed to recipes that say salt/pepper to taste 🙁 Most appreciated!
So happy you enjoyed this! Thanks for trying so many of my recipes and leaving comments on them, it means so much to me 🙂
This pasta looks delicious…I love pretty much everything about pesto!
Mmmm pesto is just great on everything, and this pasta looks wonderful Chelsea!
What a perfect pasta dish!
This is a perfect quick weeknight meal! We are definitely in need of those around here, now that school’s back in session! 🙂
YUM! I love simple and easy recipes like this :). Fresh flavors and lots of creamy sauce!
This pasta looks super tasty-pesto + tomato + pasta=deliciousnesss