Restaurant style Alfredo pesto sauce pasta is rich , creamy and delicious. An easy restaurant style recipe that you can make in comfort of your home and save $$ on your dinner.
2tablespoonbutter / cooking olive oil/ or your choice
2clovesof garlic minced
1.5cupswhole milk or more
½cupheavy cream
1teaspoonlemon zestoptional
¼cupfresh grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
Veggies used
½cupsliced onions
½cupcherry tomatoes cut into halves
½cupasparagus cut into 2” sticks
½cupbell peppers chopped
1small zucchini chopped into chunks.
Handful of fresh basil for garnish
8ozSpaghetti Pasta i.e half the packet of 16 oz
Instructions
Cook pasta al dente according to the package by adding salt to the water.
If using asparagus or broccoli add it to the boiling pasta 2 minutes before the end of it’s boiling time of the pasta.
Drain the pasta in a colander , run under cold water to stop it’s cooking and keep aside.
In a large pan add 2 tablespoon cooking olive oil on medium heat . Once warm add minced garlic and saute for 20 seconds.
Add onions and peppers . Cook it for 1 minute.
In the meantime mix the cream and milk in a microwave safe bowl and warm it up for a minute. Alternatively you may warm it up on the gas top in a small pan.
Add in zucchini and warm cream plus milk .
Keep stirring well for 10 seconds until smooth and cheese is melted.
Add in the prepared pesto.
Let the sauce come to a simmer and then add cherry tomatoes .
Add in the cheese and stir in until smooth.
Add in the salt , pepper , dried herbs if any to taste.
Add in the boiled pasta and coat it well with the sauce.
Lastly stir in the lemon zest and torn fresh basil if desired.
If sauce seems less as compared to the pasta you may add few tablespoons of milk or cream.
Any extra leftover boiled pasta can be coated with olive oil and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Cream and milk should be warm or at room temperature and not cold out of the fridge . Or else the sauce can curdle . Use pasta of your choice You may use more pesto if desired. Use veggies like broccoli , mushrooms , sweet corn , peas , canned olives, sun dried tomatoes or capers. You may add chili flakes too. Use fresh parmesan and not the jar one. If Parmesan is not available you may add any good melting cheese of your choice or substitute it with 2 tablespoon mayonnaise. You may only make alfredo sauce and skip pesto . If doing so ,increase the cream by ¼ cup ,cheese by ¼ cup more add 2 more cloves of garlic , add 1 tablespoon olive oil and add ½ tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning .