Pesto Pasta Eight Ways: The Best Recipes

Pesto, the flavoursome Italian green sauce, found in jars all over the world, originated in the port city of Genoa, in the northern Italian region of Liguria, where it is mixed with trofie pasta, potatoes and string beans. But there are so many more ways to create with pesto.

In fact, pesto and pasta are the perfect vehicle for any number of delicious extra ingredients, from shrimp, salmon and tuna, to chicken and roast vegetables. Take your pick of some of the best pesto pasta recipes for summer below.

Simple pesto recipe

Nothing quite beats the zing of an authentic homemade pesto, so why not first master making a traditional homemade pesto, guaranteed to deliver in every bite.

An authentic pesto should contain the following ingredients: basil, Italian pine nuts, Grana Padano cheese, Pecorino cheese, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and salt - all of which are then crushed together in a pestle and mortar until they come together in a vibrant paste; nonetheless, pesto is personal, so feel free to modify, like leaving out the garlic, according to your taste.

Simple pesto pasta

For a simple pesto pasta, make up a batch of fresh pesto then mix into pasta al dente for the perfect Italian primo. 

Want to take your pesto and pasta up a notch? Try out our selection of best pesto pasta recipes with added extras below:

Chicken pesto pasta

Pesto pasta and chicken form a welcome and satisfying love tryst. Simply boil pasta until al dente, sauté small slices of chicken until golden, then mix together with pesto until coated evenly.

Allrecipes has just the easy pesto pasta with chicken recipe to get started.

Creamy pesto pasta

To make an extra ceamy pesto pasta, build on your homemade pesto sauce by whisking in melted butter and cream and some pasta cooking water to achieve a really velvety-thick sauce. 

Girl with the Iron Cast has the recipe.

Shrimp pesto pasta

Add tomatoes and shrimp to your pasta pesto for an easy and elegant midweek dinner. Simply soften and season cherry tomatoes in a pan, then flash-fry raw shrimp until pink, stir into al dente pasta along with homemade pesto and a little pasta cooking water to loosen the mix, plate and enjoy.

Get the ultimate shrimp pesto pasta recipe from Serious Eats.

Pesto pasta salad

A light and fresh pesto pasta salad is the perfect picnic and grill acompaniment. Try Cookie and Kate's pesto pasta salad recipe with arugula, cherry tomatoes, olives and optional cheese.

Tuna pesto pasta

Enjoyed hot or cold, tuna pesto pasta is yet another quick and easy meal solution. Simply mix canned tuna in with cooked pasta and a generous portion of pesto, and loosen with pasta cooking water if required.

Mrs Jones's Kitchen has the recipe to get you started.

Salmon pesto pasta

Sticking with the fish theme, serve an oven-roasted fillet of salmon alongside your pasta pesto or try adding in flakes of pan fried salmon with pesto and added cream and lemon for the ultimate creamy salmon pesto pasta.

What Mollly Made has a simple salmon pesto pasta recipe to start.

Mushroom pesto pasta

For an umami kick try The Kitchn's perfect recipe for a one-pot creamy mushroom pesto pasta, where mushrooms add extra texture and interest to every mouthful.

Pesto pasta with veggies

Pasta with pesto and vegetables is another very simple and tasty summer solution, which can be enjoyed both hot or cold. Simply season the pasta with basil pesto and mix in freshly fried slices of aubergine and courgette. Try garlic roasted vegetable pesto pasta from Olive and Mango.

The possibilites are endless with pesto pasta, a versatile and delicious dish that allows you to toss in any number of ingredients, from fish to vegetables, which can be enjoyed both hot or cold. The perfect midweek dinner solution, for when you want all of the flavour and none of the fuss.

Make up a batch of pesto and it'll keep in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.