Description
This creamy pesto penne pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner—fresh, flavorful, and done in 20 minutes. With vibrant basil pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes, and melty Parmesan cheese, it’s a comforting one-pan pasta dish that’s endlessly versatile. Enjoy it hot for dinner or cold as a leftover pasta salad!
Ingredients
8 oz penne pasta
½ cup basil pesto
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup reserved pasta water
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining.
In a large bowl or the same pot, combine the basil pesto and reserved pasta water. Stir to form a smooth sauce.
Add the drained pasta to the pesto mixture and toss to coat evenly.
Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and grated Parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Use gluten-free pasta for a GF version.
Swap Parmesan for nutritional yeast to make it dairy-free.
Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or roasted veggies for extra protein and flavor.
Tastes great cold—perfect for lunch the next day!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Boiled, Tossed
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: creamy pesto penne pasta, easy pesto pasta, 20 minute pasta dinner