Our Aerogarden is going crazy again, so I made a batch of our super easy almond butter vegan spinach pesto and cooked up this creamy pesto fettuccine with summer vegetables. I used homemade pesto and tomatoes and asparagus, but you could easily use store-bought pesto and whatever vegetables you have on hand. It's great for a weeknight meal
What other vegetables would be good in this pasta?
I used tomatoes and asparagus in this recipe, but that's just what I happened to have on hand. This recipe would also be great with:
- Zucchini or other summer squash
- Peas
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Red peppers
- Broccoli
- Anything else you love!
Here's what you need for this creamy pesto fettuccine:
I made this pasta with a few basic ingredients that I already had in my fridge and pantry, so hopefully you can do the same! There are plenty of opportunities for substitutions, too. Here's what I used:
- Pesto. We make our own with our almond butter vegan spinach pesto recipe, but you can use your favorite recipe or buy pre-made pesto.
- Fettuccine. I used the gluten-free egg fettuccine from Trader Joe's, but you can use any pasta you like. This is great with all types of pasta.
- Grape tomatoes. If you don't like tomatoes, try swapping them out for one of the vegetables on the list above.
- Asparagus. Again, if you don't like asparagus, swap it out for one of the vegetables above.
- Cream cheese. Use full fat--it melts better.
- Gouda cheese. No need to buy the expensive stuff for this recipe--I just bought a cheap block at Walmart. It adds a ton of creaminess to the sauce.
And the basics: olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, chicken broth, and milk (we used whole milk).
Here's how we make this pesto pasta.
You can make this pasta in a few easy steps, which makes it the perfect weeknight meal.
- Cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Soften the cream cheese.
Place cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir it with a spoon, and if needed, place back into the microwave in 5-second intervals until melted and smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the vegetables.
Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Then add the asparagus and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the tomatoes. Sauté the tomatoes and asparagus for 2 minutes, add the garlic, then remove everything from the pan and set it aside (I just put mine into a bowl). If you're using different vegetables, cook them until they're tender and nearly ready to eat (cooking times may vary depending on what vegetables you cook with).
- Make the pasta sauce.
Add chicken broth and cream cheese to the pan that you cooked the vegetables in and stir until combined, about 5 minutes. Add the pesto and gouda and stir until the gouda is melted and everything is combined. Then add the milk and allow the sauce to simmer for another 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Add the vegetables and pasta to the sauce.
Add the vegetables back to the pan with the sauce and stir until combined. Then add the pasta and stir until fully coated. Enjoy!
What should I serve this pesto fettuccine with?
Try one of our other recipes with this pasta:
Creamy Pesto Fettuccine with Summer Vegetables: FAQs
Sure! This would be great with grilled or pan-seared chicken or shrimp on top. We have a great pan-seared chicken recipe.
You can! We love our homemade recipe, but there's not always time for that. This tastes great with store-bought pesto too. We love Costco pesto.
We love this with tomatoes and asparagus, but it would also be great with zucchini or summer squash, peas, spinach, mushrooms, red peppers, or broccoli. Get creative with what you have!
Creamy Pesto Fettuccine with Summer Vegetables
This easy creamy pesto fettuccine is made with fresh summer tomatoes and asparagus, but you can use whatever you love and have on hand. You can also use homemade pesto or store-bought, so you can truly make it your own.
4
servings5
minutes25
minutes700
kcal30
minutesPrevent your screen from going dark!
Ingredients
1 pound fettuccine pasta
4 ounces cream cheese, full fat
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch sections
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
⅓ cup pesto
1 cup gouda cheese, shredded
½ cup whole milk
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Place cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir it with a spoon, and if needed, place back into the microwave in 5-second intervals until melted and smooth. Set aside.
- Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Then add the asparagus and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the tomatoes. Sauté the tomatoes and asparagus for 2 minutes, add the garlic, then remove everything from the pan and set it aside (I just put mine into a bowl).
- Add chicken broth and cream cheese to the pan that you cooked the vegetables in and stir until combined, about 5 minutes. Add the pesto and gouda and stir until the gouda is melted and everything is combined. Then add the milk and allow the sauce to simmer for another 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Add the vegetables back to the pan with the sauce and stir until combined. Then add the pasta and stir until fully coated. Enjoy!
Sharie S. says
This was absolutely delicious! It was a complete meal in itself, and is very versatile. The flavor is rich and savory and the clean up is minimal since you cook and serve everything from the same pan. Highly recommend this dish!