Recipes and Cooking Ethnic Food Italian Recipes The 7 Best Pesto Pasta Recipes for a Flavorful Taste of Italy By Karla Walsh Updated on January 6, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Brie Passano Native to Genoa, Italy, herbaceous pesto sauce—and pesto pasta recipes that feature it—is bright, garlicky, and good to the last drop. While basil pesto pastas that use pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil are most traditional, other variations with spinach, arugula, and different nuts are featured in our guide to the best pesto pasta dishes. Whether you prefer heart-healthy shrimp pesto pasta recipes or are craving cheesy pesto pasta bakes, we have a delicious pesto pasta recipe for you. 01 of 07 Pesto Penne with Deli-Roasted Chicken View Recipe Blaine Moats For a chicken pesto pasta that will earn you dinner party fame, you need to invest a mere 20 minutes. Three store-bought staples help you hit "fast-forward" on this satisfying dinner recipe: a jar of basil pesto, a jar of roasted red peppers, and chopped rotisserie chicken. Fresh broccoli and plenty of Parmesan round out the showy yet simple entrée that's so delicious, everyone will be begging for the recipe. 02 of 07 Pesto Orecchiette with Spinach and Smoked Salmon View Recipe Brie Passano This salmon pesto pasta looks and tastes like something you'd order at a gourmet deli or restaurant. The fact that it requires just 15 minutes of hands-on prep time and one pan to execute can be your little secret. The one-pot pasta cooks in a chicken broth-based blend. Finish with purchased basil pesto (or our DIY variation), fresh spinach, and smoked salmon. These Easy Pasta Recipes Will Be On the Table in Just 20 Minutes 03 of 07 Veggie-Pesto Lasagna Soup View Recipe Blaine Moats When you're in the mood for a basil pesto pasta that's like a big food hug, think vegetable soup. Not only is this pesto-crowned veggie noodle soup super cozy, it's also remarkably adaptable. "I LOVE this recipe because it is so versatile. Don't have lasagna noodles? Use farfalle or rotini. Add a different squash like zucchini for some added bite. You can switch out the broth to make it totally vegetarian. No ricotta? Melt some mozzarella on top," one BH&G home cook says. 04 of 07 Italian Pesto Pasta Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons Pasta salad has a whole new look. Dress up your macaroni noodles with a jar of basil pesto, toss in pine nuts and pearly cannellini beans, then watch the gorgeous green side strut its stuff on the potluck table. A generous pile of arugula in the mix means that this pesto pasta dish can play double duty as both side dish and salad. 05 of 07 Pesto Pasta with Charred Radicchio View Recipe Carson Downing If basil is not your jam—or is not easily available—this pesto pasta with veggies recipe features a sauce that's about to become your new go-to. Prepare to fall in love with "any herb pesto," a brilliant sauce that can be blitzed up with just about any nut or seed, 2 cups of your favorite herb, olive oil, lemon juice, and shreds of your favorite hard cheese. To make it a meal, combine this customizable sauce with charred radicchio (psst…roasting mellows out the bitterness and accentuates the natural sugars!) and cooked pasta. How to Cook with Fresh Herbs 06 of 07 Pesto Shrimp Mac and Cheese View Recipe Andy Lyons Everyone loves a good 'ol bowl of gooey mac and cheese. Here, fresh shrimp makes a surprising splash in the childhood fave. And the pesto flair comes in a delightful deconstructed fashion: basil and pine nuts join forces with eggs, butter, half-and-half, plus two types of cheeses in the luscious sauce for the baked pasta. 07 of 07 Garden Veggie Linguine with Cilantro Pesto View Recipe Andy Lyons During that glorious stretch where spring ushers in summer, zucchini pesto pasta is on repeat in many BH&G editor homes. That's because from garden to table, this pesto pasta features the freshest seasonal produce. Toss in baby zucchini, carrots, and seedless oranges, then coat in cilantro-infused pesto for a zippy pasta dinner. We're Settling the Debate: Here's Where to Store All Your Produce Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit