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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Vegetarian pasta dinner recipes

    Parsley Pesto Pasta

    Published: May 17, 2021 ยท Modified: May 26, 2021 by Adrianne

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    Parsley Pesto Pasta is the dinner you need for weeknights! This quick and easy recipe is full of flavour with some parmesan for cheesy deliciousness!

    Fork being twirled in parsley pesto pasta on a white plate

    Easy pasta recipes like our Garlic Spaghetti and Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta make dinner fuss free!

    Use the Parsley Walnut Pesto recipe to get you started for this delightful combo!

    Why you will love this recipe

    This recipe is comfort food on a plate.

    Al dente cooked pasta, zesty parsley pesto, cheesy parm, crunchy walnuts and a fork, is all you need for this deliverance of yum!

    Just like our Rocket and Cashew Pesto or Basil and Cashew Pesto, the simple combination of fresh herbs, garlic and nuts creates a delicious sauce when paired with pasta is heaven sent!

    You can use your favorite pasta, such as penne, spaghetti, rigatoni, fettucine, macaroni, tagliatelle or pappardelle.

    Recipes like my Rocket Pesto Pasta and Bacon Pesto Pasta delight in the simplicity of combining pesto and pasta!

    Can I use parsley instead of basil in pesto?

    You can substitute parsley where you would otherwise use basil in pesto recipes for a unique flavor combination.

    Parsley is an economical herb (especially if you grow it) and provides a great textural alternative to basil, rocket (arugula) or spinach.

    With its curly leafy appearance, it is commonly served as a garnish on pasta.

    Combined with a few simple ingredients such as garlic, nuts, olive oil and cheese, it becomes pesto which can be used in a variety of ways.

    What can I put pesto on?

    Pesto is very versatile ingredient, here are some ideas on what to put it on:

    • pizza as a sauce
    • salad as a dressing
    • spread on sandwiches
    • fish, chicken, pork or lamb

    If you have never tried the simple combination of pesto on flatbread grilled to perfection, give it a go for ultra deliciousness!

    Try the Roast Capsicum Pesto for a change, the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto for juicy deliciousness or the Basil and Cashew Pesto on a different night!

    Ingredients needed

    The ingredients you need are shown in the photo below, they are all simple and can be found at the local shop (you might already have some of them!)

    Ingredients for parsley pesto pasta on marble background with text labels

    As you can see, the recipe calls for:

    • dried pasta (you can use your favorite)
    • parsley pesto
    • parmesan cheese
    • parsley
    • walnuts
    • lemon
    • cracked pepper

    This recipe is so simple that it only needs to 2 basic ingredients, ie parsley pesto and dried pasta.

    But we add all of the fun stuff like parmesan cheese, lemon, crushed walnuts, parsley and a little cracked pepper to take this dish to the highest level!

    How to make Parsley Pesto Pasta

    To make the recipe, we start by cooking our pasta, then simply dolloping the pesto into the mix.

    Parsley Pesto Pasta method 1 to 2

    If you like a thin sauce on your pasta, reserve ยฝ cup of the pasta water and stir that through also.

    It only takes minutes at a medium heat to combine the cooked pasta and pesto.

    Parsley Pesto Pasta on a white plate with parmesan cheese on top

    Once that is done, squeeze the lemon over the pasta, use your fingers to crush some walnuts and sprinkle them around, spread some parmesan on top, a little parsley for garnish and cracked pepper to top it all off.

    Form being twirled in parsley pesto pasta on a white plate

    As you can see, it is pretty AMAZING!

    Pesto Parsley Pasta quick info:

    About the recipe:

    • You need 1 cup of pesto for 4 servings of pasta
    • Use your favorite pasta (I am using orecchiette)
    • This is a vegetarian recipe
    • Use a fresh lemon for this one!
    • The nuts, parmesan, pepper and parsley are optional but elevate the dish, so do try the combo all together!

    FAQs about the recipe

    1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions
    2. You can replace homemade pesto with a store bought version
    3. You can add cooked chicken or bacon for more protein
    4. It takes about 15 mins from start to finish

    If you are new to pesto, have a read of my How to Make Pesto guide. It covers all the tips and tricks you need to know!

    Your quick questions answered:

    1. This is a quick, easy to bring together recipe!
    2. This recipe uses only 7 ingredients
    3. The pasta water is optional, use if you want a thinner sauce
    4. You can freeze this recipe for easy weeknight meals

    Expert tips:

    This is what I have learnt that will help you master the recipe from the 1st time and every following time:

    • Dollop the pesto on and don't hold back!
    • Cook the pasta till al dente for that extra little bite to it!
    • Switch it up and use spaghetti or penne on different nights of the week
    • Keep it simple for Meatless Mondays

    If pasta is your thing, try one of the following recipes:

    • Fork in bowl of beef mince pasta with parsley on top.
      Savoury Mince Pasta
    • Fork being twirled in plate of fettuccine alfredo with tuna.
      Fettuccine Alfredo With Tuna
    • Fork being twirled in pasta with scallops on white plate.
      Scallop Linguine
    • Fork being pushed into bowl of pasta with fresh basil leaves.
      Baked Rigatoni With Sausage

    Its a parsley pesto pasta party and you only need BYO your fork!

    Adrianne x

    Want to be friends? You can SUBSCRIBE to receive the latest recipes, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook.

    ๐Ÿ“– Recipe

    Parsley Pesto Pasta on a white plate

    Parsley Pesto Pasta

    Parsley Pesto Pasta is the dinner you need for weeknights! This quick and easy recipe is cheesy deliciousness on plate!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 780kcal
    Author: Adrianne
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 500 grams dried pasta
    • 1 cup parsley pesto
    • ยฝ cup reserved pasta water optional
    • ยผ cup parmesan cheese
    • ยฝ lemon
    • ยผ cup walnuts optional, to garnish
    • cracked pepper optional, to garnish
    • parsley optional, to garnish

    Instructions

    • Cook pasta according to packet instructions, drain and reserve ยฝ cup of pasta water (optional)
    • Add cooked pasta to fry pan, turn to a medium heat, dollop in parsley pesto and stir till combined. For a thinner sauce, pour in reserved pasta water and continue to stir till consistently combined
    • Squeeze lemon half over pasta and stir to mix through
    • Serve with parmesan cheese, cracked pepper and chopped parsley

    Nutrition

    Calories: 780kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1303IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 2mg
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Australian, International
    Keyword Parsley Pesto Pasta
    Did you make this recipe? Share on Instagram!It makes my day when you make my recipes! Tag @sweetcaramelsunday

    Try these next...

    • Fork being twirled in plate of pasta with basil leaves on top.
      Roasted Capsicum Pasta Sauce
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      Black Olive Pizza
    • Penne pesto in grey bowl with fork, spoon and basil leaves.
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    • Fork being twirled in bowl of alfredo with linguine with grey tea towel behind.
      Linguine Alfredo

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allyssa says

      May 18, 2021 at 9:29 am

      5 stars
      Thanks a lot for sharing this parsley pesto pasta! It looks really amazing and easy to make!

      Reply
      • Adrianne says

        May 19, 2021 at 7:20 pm

        Thanks Allyssa! Appreciate your feedback.

    2. Juli says

      May 18, 2021 at 10:01 am

      5 stars
      Pesto is my favorite sauce, loved this pasta so much that we made it twice this month already!

      Reply
    3. Sandhya says

      May 18, 2021 at 10:46 am

      5 stars
      Pesta pasta is one of my favorite weeknight meal. Plus it's so easy to make.

      Reply
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