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.
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.
- 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:
- Cook pasta. Cook just until it is al dente! No one likes mushy pasta 🙂
- Combine: Add beans, tomatoes, pesto, and balsamic vinegar to a large bowl.
- 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
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.
Pesto goes really well with pasta, garlic bread, as a dip for veggies, or as a topping for meat.
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:
More easy Italian pasta recipes
If you love this easy recipe, you may also like:
Pesto Pasta Recipe
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 instructions1 lb penne pasta
- In a large bowl, combine the drained beans, pesto, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar1 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 neededkosher salt and pepper to taste
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Hannah says
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.
Melissa says
I love hearing that!
Sophia says
I looked through a couple different recipes and decided on this one and it was fantastic! Very easy and lots of flavor
Suzie says
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!
Melissa says
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Hannah says
This was absolutely amazing!
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Valerie says
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.
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 The finishing with good olive oil at the end sounds perfect!
Diane says
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
Melissa says
I love hearing that! I am so glad you enjoyed Diane 🙂
Kelly says
Loved this pesto pasta! Easy and so flavorful
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Maddie says
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
Melissa says
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 🙂
Annabelle says
This pesto pasta was easy and really delicious! We used pesto from a jar but definitely want to try your homemade pesto next.
Melissa says
Hi Annabelle. I'm glad you enjoyed the pesto pasta 🙂 Let us know when you try the homemade pesto!
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Bridgette L says
Everyone really enjoyed it. Very easy and great flavor.
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Eric says
Made this and it was really good!
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it Eric!
Daniel says
Came out amazing! Followed recipe exactly and used the pesto recipe as well.
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Melissa says
I am so glad to hear that!
Melissa says
Thanks Sarah. I am so glad you enjoyed it 🙂