Best 20 Creamy Pesto Recipes

CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened.
• Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine.

PHENOMENAL CHICKEN AND PASTA IN CREAMY PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place basil, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, and tomato in a food processor. Gradually add olive oil, while pulsing, until mixture is smooth and creamy.
• In a bowl, stir together chicken broth, 1 cup white wine, dried basil, oregano, and minced garlic. Stir in chicken pieces.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and sprinkle with sugar. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and marinade. Stir in 1/2 cup white wine. Simmer chicken pieces, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Add pasta and pesto to the skillet. Stir in cream, and cook until the sauce is thickened. Adjust salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Mix the garlic and sherry into the skillet. Cook and stir until all the liquid has been reduced and the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
• Mix the pine nuts into the skillet, and cook 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, and mix in the basil, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Continue cooking until heated through.

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN AND BOW TIES

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often.
• Add soup, pesto sauce and milk. Bring to a boil. Cook over low heat 5 minutes or until done. Stir in drained pasta and heat through.

CREAMY PESTO PENNE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook penne at a boil, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain and transfer pasta to a bowl.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; add to pasta.
• Whisk pesto sauce mix, milk, and olive oil together in a small saucepan; bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and keep at a simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes; pour over pasta and sausage mixture and toss to coat.

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• Saute garlic in butter and olive oil until fragrant. Cook pasta while sauce cooks, according to package directions.
• Add chicken, whipping cream, salt, and pepper (to taste).
• Let sauce simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Add pesto and parmesan. Stir until creamy and thickened.
• Pour pasta, sprinkle desired amount of parmesan over dish.

CREAMY CILANTRO PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Blend cilantro leaves, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, green onions, basil, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, and salt in a blender until smooth.

CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP LINGUINE

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute shrimp in butter until shrimp turn pink. Remove and set aside. Add cream to the pan; bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, for 4-6 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally., Stir in the cheese, pesto and pepper until smooth. Return shrimp to the pan; heat through. Drain linguine; serve with sauce.

ONE PAN PASTA WITH CREAMY SHRIMP AND PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 4- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 7 to 12 minutes. Drain and return to pan.
• Add shrimp, pesto, cream, broth, and dried tomatoes to pasta; stir over medium heat until hot and evenly incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO LINGUINE

Steps:

• Saute onion and garlic in oil in skillet.
• Season chicken strips with garlic powder and black pepper and add to skillet with onion/garlic mixture.
• When chicken is done, stir in pesto sauce, then add cream and parmesan cheese.
• Cook over medium heat until thickened.
• Drain cooked linguine and serve chicken and sauce over top.
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

CREAMY PHILLY PESTO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until done (170 degrees F). Transfer to plate; cover to keep warm.
• Add cream cheese spread to skillet; cook on medium heat 5 minutes or until melted, stirring constantly. Whisk in broth and pesto; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened and well blended. Pour over chicken.

CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse pepitas and garlic until finely chopped. Halve avocado, discard the pit and scoop out flesh. (You should have about 3/4 cup, or 5 ounces.) Add avocado flesh, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to food processor and pulse until chunky.
• Add cheese and basil to food processor. With motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup water, then drizzle in oil until well blended, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer 2 cups of pesto to a large bowl. Refrigerate any remaining pesto for another use.
• Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. Add pasta and pasta water to pesto in large bowl and toss until pasta is nicely coated in sauce.
• Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Top with more pepitas, cheese and basil.

ONE-POT CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• In 5- to 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink. With slotted spoon, transfer to plate, and keep warm.
• Add chicken broth and pasta to Dutch oven; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of liquid is absorbed.
• Add cream cheese and pesto, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is heated through.
• Gradually stir in spinach until starting to wilt. Just before serving, garnish with basil and Parmesan cheese.

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN AND LINGUINE

Steps:

• Cook linguini according to package directions.
• Drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt 2 teaspoons of the butter together with the olive oil over medium heat.
• Brown the chicken breasts on both sides until nicely golden and juices run clear, about 6 to 7 minutes per side.
• Remove from pan and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; set aside.
• Pour out drippings from pan, but do not wipe it out.
• In the pan you cooked the chicken in, melt remaining butter over medium heat.
• Toss in the minced garlic, shallot, mushrooms, and reconstituted sundried tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes, then stir in half and half and season with pepper.
• Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir the Parmesan into the creamy mixture, stirring until well mixed.
• Stir in the pesto, and cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened.
• Stir in the chicken cubes and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Re-heat the linguini (either in boiling water or microwave) and serve chicken and sauce over the hot pasta.
• Garnish with grated Romano and freshly ground black pepper.
• Makes 4 to 6 servings.

OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY CREAMY PESTO DRESSING RECIPE

Steps:

• Whisk together oil and mayonnaise.
• Add buttermilk, cheese, basil, salt, garlic, and hot pepper sauce to taste.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Cover and let flavors meld overnight in refrigerator.
• This also will make an excellent chicken marinade.

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the first 5 ingredients; brush over chicken. Place in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake until a thermometer reads 165°, 20-25 minutes., Meanwhile, place basil, parsley and salt in a small food processor; pulse until chopped. While processing, gradually add coconut milk in a steady stream until mixture is pureed. Serve with chicken.

CREAMY PESTO SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Whisk to combine. Dress salad! :).

CREAMY RAMP PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Set aside an ice-water bath in a medium bowl.
• Blanch the ramp leaves in boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into the ice bath. Drain the leaves and dry on a kitchen towel. Tops should be bright and vibrant green in color.
• Add the blanched leaves to a food processor with 1/4 of the ramp bulbs and stems, plus the lemon zest and juice, the pistachios and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pulse to finely chop, and stream in the olive oil until the pesto comes together into a thick sauce. Taste and, if desired, add more bulbs and stems, a few at a time, then add salt to taste and pulse to combine. (Reserve the remaining bulbs and stems for use in dressings, sautéed vegetable dishes or eggs.)
• Place the ricotta or mascarpone in large mixing bowl.
• Salt the pasta water and cook pasta about 1 minute less than package directions for al dente. Just before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and add to the ricotta or mascarpone to soften and loosen the cheese. Add the ramp pesto and stir to combine. Drain pasta, add to sauce and toss to coat. Transfer pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, and top with a generous amount of pink peppercorn.

BLACK BEAN-CHICKEN SALAD WITH CREAMY CILANTRO PESTO DRESSING

Steps:

• Prepare Creamy Cilantro Pesto Dressing. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium- high heat. Cook chicken in oil 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Toss chicken, chili powder and garlic salt; set aside.
• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain. Mix pasta, chicken, dressing, tomato and beans.

EASY CREAMY PESTO

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in heavy cream. Add flour and mix well to remove clumps. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir sour cream and pesto into the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring, until flavors combine, 2 to 3 minutes more.