Creamy Pesto Sauce Recipe

Skip the restaurant and try our homemade creamy pesto sauce instead. It uses simple ingredients to create a creamy pasta sauce you’re going to love!

Happy New Year to all of our readers! For today’s recipe we’re sharing Kim’s creamy pesto sauce.

It’s light, fresh and delicious! The pasta sauce only takes a few minutes to prepare and can be used in so many ways.

The recipe card is listed just below the detailed instructions. So, shall we get started?

How to make creamy pesto sauce:

First, start by shredding your Parmesan cheese. If you bought pre-shredded, that will work as well.

Next, grab your food processor or blender and toss in the basil, garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, and pepper.

Then, use the pulse button to begin crushing the ingredients. But, don’t overdo at this point. Remember, use our photos as a reference.

Last, use the low(est) setting on your appliance and drizzle in the olive oil as the ingredients continue to blend. Blend the pesto sauce until it’s smooth and creamy.

That’s it, your creamy pesto sauce is done! You can serve it over warmed pasta noodles as soon as it’s ready.

Kim and I hope you enjoy the pasta sauce and wish you all the best 🙂

How do you use pesto sauce?

Well, the sauce has a number of uses. For example, it can be a flavorful dipping sauce for breads and bread sticks.

Furthermore, you can use it on just about any type of pasta noodle you love or even mix it with hummus. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Also, you can use it to create an amazing Instant Pot pesto chicken pasta dish or use it on a caprese sandwich.

Do you cook pesto sauce?

Personally, I typically don’t cook pesto sauce. Usually, I only heat my sauce enough to warm it for the noodles. The only time it gets fully cooked is in lasagnas and casseroles.

Other pasta sauce recipes you may enjoy:

• Lemon Basil Cream Sauce
• Simple Cream Bechamel Sauce
• Penne alla Vodka
• Easy Pasta Sauce

Don’t forget to check out our Pesto Sauce web story!

Creamy Pesto Sauce Recipe

4.7 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

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Equipment

• 10-Cup Food Processor
• Box Cheese Grater

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed into measuring cup
• 2 tablespoons Garlic about 2-3 large cloves
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese about 2 ounces shredded off the block
• 1/3 Cup Pine Nuts
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Instructions 

• Place the basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse 7 to 8 times just enough to break down the basil.
• Switch to low speed, and slowly pour in the olive oil. Mix until the oil is fully incorporated and all ingredients are smooth and creamy.
• Serve immediately over pasta, with bread, or mixed with hummus. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Notes

The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients listed and a serving size of about 2 ounces of the pesto sauce. Actual calories will vary.

The pesto sauce can be stored in your fridge, in a sealed container, for up 3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Ounces | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g