Creamy Pesto Sauce Orecchiette

If you are looking to elevate your next pesto pasta dish, look no further than this creamy pesto orecchiette recipe! Orecchiette is a unique pasta shape that holds the sauce/ ingredients inside its little holes. It is a perfect pair for a velvety pesto sauce. In this blog post, I will be guiding you through the steps to create this mouthwatering dish. I’m confident it will become one of your favorite pasta recipes.

The recipe is really simple and enjoyable to make. I personally get excited making pesto knowing how easy it is. The addition of heavy cream and cheese to the recipe is just so satisfying at the end as well (hello to my lactose intolerant people out there). The recipe contains crushed red peppers for added flavor and a lot of parmesan cheese but you can make any modification your heart desires.

Creamy Pesto Orecchiette

A creamy orecchiette pasta recipe that pairs perfectly with a velvety pesto sauce.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  

Pesto Ingredients

• 2 cups Basil Leaves
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup Pine Nuts or Walnuts

Remaining Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups Orecchiette
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tbsp Butter
• Crushed Red Peppers

Instructions

 

Pesto Instructions

• Toast the Pine Nuts: You can toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant and slightly golden. Be careful not to burn them, and stir frequently. Alternatively, you can use them untoasted for a milder flavor or replace with walnuts.
• In a food processor, add the fresh basil leaves and peeled garlic cloves. Pulse a few times until they are finely chopped.
• Add Pine Nuts and Cheeses: Add the pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined and have a coarse, grainy texture.
• With the food processor running, slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until the mixture becomes smooth and well blended.
• Add salt and ground black pepper to taste. Pulse a few more times to combine. Taste the pesto and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Pasta Recipe

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
• In the meantime, get a skillet to medium heat and add your pesto in the pan. Stir until fragrant and add the heavy cream and stir. Toss in the pasta (with some pasta water to ensure the sauce isn't dry). Cook over low heat, stirring, until the pasta is well coated with the sauce and heated through.
• Take off the heat, add butter and more parmesan cheese as desired. You can also add crushed red peppers here if you like some heat in your pasta.
• Enjoy your creamy pesto orecchiette pasta while it's warm. It's a delightful combination of flavors and textures!