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Home » Recipes » Food

Published: Apr 20, 2021, By: Melissa, Updated: Oct 19, 2023

Easy Pesto Pasta

Jump to Recipe

Ok, folks, it doesn't get much easier or tastier than this dish, my easy pesto pasta recipe. The satisfaction and fullness from the pasta, the energy from the beans and the flavors from the pesto and tomatoes make this one of the best dishes you can have in your repertoire. This easy recipe will be a new favorite once you give it a try.

pesto pasta in bowl

Why You Will Love This Easy Pasta with Pesto Sauce

I have been making this basil pesto pasta the exact same way since I was in college and I am not tired of it yet. What I needed back then (and still do today) was a dish that I could easily make and that would keep me full for the day.

I would pack up this pesto pasta and bring it with me on campus (at the time) or work and it would fuel me for an entire day. The only cooking you need to do is cook the pasta and the rest is just assembling (including the pesto).

This is proof that great meals can be assembled! This pesto pasta is the perfect meal to eat at home or as a take-along to an outing since it is served at room temperature. It also heats up nicely in the microwave if you prefer it hot.

Make this with store-bought pesto or homemade, either way, it will be delicious.

Ingredients

This easy pesto pasta has a few usual ingredients and a few new ones. I am going to break down all of them for you below.

pesto pasta ingredients
  • The pesto sauce for this pasta: Now for the pesto in this recipe, if you have a favorite jarred pesto brand that you like, then, by all means, use that if it is easier for you. Just make sure it is a good one. I often use a store-bought pesto for this recipe. If you want to make your own, I have a wonderful walnut basil pesto that I have been using for years and I love it.
  • The Cannellini Beans: This recipe also calls for cannellini beans which can totally be optional, however, I highly recommend them in this dish. Mixing cannellini beans with pesto pasta makes this a high-energy dish. Tip: Make sure that you rinse your beans well before adding them to your pasta since canned beans sit in a brine.
  • Tomatoes: Tomatoes are the fresh ingredient that balances this pasta and keeps it feeling light. I also happen to love tomatoes. The combination of pesto pasta and tomatoes is a match made in heaven!
  • Balsamic Vinegar: Adds a faint touch of sweetness to the pasta.

I feel very strongly in saying that to make pesto sauce taste better, whether it is store-bought jarred pesto or homemade, you need to add one additional ingredient to a pesto and pasta recipe. This ingredient which is a little different from other pesto and pasta recipes is the addition of balsamic vinegar.

The balsamic vinegar helps wake those flavors back up and adds a faint touch of sweetness in the background. It is just a little that you add so don't worry that it will be too much.

How To Make Pesto Pasta

Making this pesto pasta is so easy. Here are what the steps look like:

Pesto pasta ingredients in a large bowl to be tossed together.
  1. Cook pasta. Cook just until it is al dente! No one likes mushy pasta 🙂
  2. Combine: Add beans, tomatoes, pesto, and balsamic vinegar to a large bowl.
  3. Toss: When pasta is done cooking, add that to the bowl and toss together.

That is it! This pasta is served warm and the heat from the pasta is what warms all of the ingredients. If you would prefer a hot pesto pasta then you can heat the beans in a saucepan or microwave until warmed through and then follow the rest of the recipe.

Recipe Tips

  • Best pasta to use: For this simple pasta, I really prefer shaped pasta like penne, ziti, and even bow-tie pasta when I make it. The tube-shaped pasta really holds the pesto well and the pesto gets into the middle of the pasta. The bow tie pasta (also called Farfalle) is the next best thing to the tubed-shaped pasta since it has lots of areas for the pesto to cling to when it is tossed with it. If you are in a pinch, you can use other types of pasta like spaghetti but do try to use a pasta shape like I mentioned above for the best experience.
  • Best pesto to use: For this recipe, store-bought pesto from a jar (my favorite brand is Sacla) is what I use but I also use fresh pesto if I have it. I have tried it both ways and it is delicious either way. If you do not mind grabbing a food processor along with fresh basil, walnuts (or toasted pine nuts), olive oil, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and salt, then this easy pesto recipe is perfect if you want to make your own.

Variations

This recipe is great as is but I do sometimes think things can be changed up a bit based on what you have on hand or your mood. Here are some ideas!

  • Add leafy greens: Peso and leafy greens are a great combo.
  • Add peas: I do love fresh peas mixed into this pesto pasta and it adds more nutrients.
  • Use fresh lemon instead of vinegar: Any additional acid like lemon or vinegar will really brighten the pesto flavors.

How to store

There are two things to think about here, storing the pesto and storing the pesto pasta. Storing the pasta is super easy.

Just make sure you cover tightly in a container with a lid in the fridge for up to 2 days. There will be a touch of discoloration from air reacting with the pesto but that is fine. This is purely aesthetic.

For storing pesto, whether it is jarred pesto or homemade pesto, you will want to drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the pesto and cover it tightly. Again, this helps prevent the discoloration of pesto AND keeps the pesto nice and fresh and from drying out.

FAQS

How do you improve the flavor of pesto pasta?

To make a really delicious pasta with pesto, you want to add a little acid like balsamic vinegar or lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Mixing pesto pasta and tomatoes also helps.

What can you use pesto with?

Pesto goes really well with pasta, garlic bread, as a dip for veggies, or as a topping for meat.

How much pasta should I make per person?

This depends on your appetite but as a rule of thumb in our house, we use about ¼ of the box per person. This allows a good amount per person as a main meal.

Pairing Ideas

If you are looking for things to serve with this pesto pasta, here are some ideas:

  • easy red sangria in glasses on a white counter
    Easy Red Sangria with Aperol
  • Aperol and soda in glass with a lemon wedge on a blue counter
    Aperol Soda Cocktail
  • peach cobbler
    Peach Cobbler with Pie Crust Top
  • simple balsamic reduction closeup
    Simple Balsamic Reduction (10 Minute Recipe!)

More easy Italian pasta recipes

If you love this easy recipe, you may also like:

  • A large bowl of pasta salad on the counter with a glass of wine next to it and bread.
    The Best Ever Italian Pasta Salad
  • Pasta Nerano mixed together in a stainless steel frying pan
    Spaghetti with Zucchini (Spaghetti alla Nerano)
  • spaghetti aglio e olio
    Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Garlic (Aglio e Olio)
  • checca sauce
    Checca Sauce (Italian No-Cook Tomato Sauce)
pesto pasta in bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 39 votes

Pesto Pasta Recipe

A delicious and satisfying pesto pasta recipe that you will love.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Melissa Oleary

Ingredients

  • 1 lb penne pasta choose a shape that holds the pesto well like corkscrew or penne
  • 1 cup store bought pesto or homemade pesto If you want to buy your pesto, I love Sacla brand which I find in the Italian section of the grocery store.
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
  • 15 oz can of cannellini beans rinsed well and drained
  • 2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • ​Cook pasta according to the package instructions
    1 lb penne pasta
  • In a large bowl, combine the drained beans, pesto, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar
    1 cup store bought pesto or homemade pesto, 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, 15 oz can of cannellini beans rinsed well and drained, 2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
  • When pasta is fully cooked, strain and add it to the bowl
  • Toss pasta and ingredients together well to combine
  • Taste for seasoning and see if salt or pepper is needed
    kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 810mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1250IU | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Values are estimates only.

See full nutrition disclaimer here

Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!

Course :Main Course

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 39 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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  1. Hannah says

    August 26, 2023 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    I was given this recipe from a friend who loves this pesto pasta and I made it for dinner last night. Everyone loved it! I couldn’t believe how simple it was to make. It was moist too which I loved 🙂 not dry at all like other pesto pasta recipes I’ve had. I can’t wait to make this again and it will definitely be added to my weekly meal list.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      August 26, 2023 at 12:51 pm

      I love hearing that!

      Reply
  2. Sophia says

    July 25, 2023 at 1:36 pm

    5 stars
    I looked through a couple different recipes and decided on this one and it was fantastic! Very easy and lots of flavor

    Reply
  3. Suzie says

    July 24, 2023 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    This is my new favorite pesto pasta recipe! I’ve made it twice now, first time with jarred pesto and the second time with homemade pesto and it was amazing both ways.
    Brilliant recipe!

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    July 21, 2023 at 8:38 pm

    I am so glad you enjoyed it!

    Reply
  5. Hannah says

    July 14, 2023 at 3:07 pm

    5 stars
    This was absolutely amazing!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      July 14, 2023 at 7:22 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. Valerie says

    June 14, 2023 at 6:09 pm

    5 stars
    I agree with Diane, what a simple, quick but absolutely delicious meal. I had a carton of fresh pesto in the fridge (what luck!). No cannellini beans, but I did have borlotti. Worked perfectly with no extra seasoning, just a good splash of some extra virgin olive oil a friend brought back from Spain.
    Recipes like this are a godsend after a busy day, especially in the lovely weather we are enjoying here in England. So glad I found your site.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      June 15, 2023 at 11:39 am

      So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 The finishing with good olive oil at the end sounds perfect!

      Reply
  7. Diane says

    April 07, 2023 at 7:05 pm

    5 stars
    Sorry I could only rate this 5☆ because it rates a 10! This was awesome made just as written. I didn't even need salt or pepper. I'm hoping it will also be good cold as a salad. I saved some pasta water in the pesto jar in case it seems dry when I use reheat it. Bravo & thanks for this recipe

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      April 08, 2023 at 12:39 am

      I love hearing that! I am so glad you enjoyed Diane 🙂

      Reply
  8. Kelly says

    March 21, 2023 at 8:51 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this pesto pasta! Easy and so flavorful

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      March 21, 2023 at 9:17 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  9. Maddie says

    February 12, 2023 at 11:15 am

    Hi, This pasta sounds delicious! I'm also looking for easy recipes to meal prep for campus lunches. How long would you say this keeps in the fridge?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      February 12, 2023 at 12:37 pm

      Hi Maddie. I've had great success keeping it in the fridge for one week. I like to add a little extra balsamic to the pesto pasta I pack up to keep it from drying out. You could also add a little extra olive oil. If you're bringing it to campus, no need to heat it up if you let it come to room temp. Hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
  10. Annabelle says

    January 31, 2023 at 10:59 pm

    5 stars
    This pesto pasta was easy and really delicious! We used pesto from a jar but definitely want to try your homemade pesto next.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      February 01, 2023 at 12:56 am

      Hi Annabelle. I'm glad you enjoyed the pesto pasta 🙂 Let us know when you try the homemade pesto!

      Reply
  11. Melissa says

    January 22, 2023 at 1:08 pm

    So glad you enjoyed it!

    Reply
  12. Bridgette L says

    January 03, 2023 at 5:39 pm

    5 stars
    Everyone really enjoyed it. Very easy and great flavor.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      January 03, 2023 at 6:30 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  13. Eric says

    January 03, 2023 at 1:26 pm

    5 stars
    Made this and it was really good!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      January 03, 2023 at 1:41 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it Eric!

      Reply
  14. Daniel says

    December 11, 2022 at 2:22 pm

    5 stars
    Came out amazing! Followed recipe exactly and used the pesto recipe as well.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      December 11, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  15. Melissa says

    September 24, 2022 at 12:53 pm

    I am so glad to hear that!

    Reply
  16. Melissa says

    September 24, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    Thanks Sarah. I am so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

    Reply

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I am so excited you are here. My name is Melissa and I started this recipe website to share easy recipes that I have been cooking for years. I have written hundreds of easy recipes that are tested and perfected. Some of the recipes I learned during my years of working in restaurants, some from owning my own food company, and others from friends and traveling.

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