Creamy, herb-flavoured pesto made without any oil or cream. Light Creamy Penne Pesto is the perfect ways to make pasta and it’s a real party pleaser.
I have a weakness for carbs. I love bread, pasta, rice – all that delicious carby goodness. I also love pesto! It’s like a perfect little bite of Italy.
The amazing combination of fresh basil and garlic leaves me yearning for pesto every time I see it on a restaurant menu. I often resist the urge to order it because pesto is usually loaded with oil.
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The first bite is yum, the second bite is good, but by the third, fourth, or fifth bite, I feel like my mouth is swimming in olive oil.
Yuck!
Light Creamy Penne Pesto is packed full of fresh basil and garlic, but without any oily aftertaste. It’s practically oil-free. Instead of oil, there’s a combination of avocado, cottage cheese, and vegetable broth. Together they give this pesto a rich, creamy flavour.
The creaminess of this pesto is kicked up another notch when it’s combined with a simple white sauce, consisting of sautéed mushrooms and shallots as well as milk, parsley, and flour.
For a creamy pesto, this is amazingly guilt-free. Have a big bowl of pasta tonight. You deserve it!
After you make Light Creamy Penne Pesto, please add a comment below and give it a star rating! I love hearing how much your family enjoys these meals.
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Light Creamy Penne Pesto
There’s no reason to shy away from this pesto pasta. It’s creamy, delicious, and full of flavour – it’s only light on fat. This is one of my favourite ways to make pasta and it’s a real party pleaser.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 package penne pasta
- 2 cups basil leaves, fresh
- 3 cloves garlic, quartered
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley, dried
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a food processor, blend basil, pine nuts, garlic, avocado, and lemon juice until finely chopped.
- Add ricotta and season with salt and pepper. Process until well combined.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook for 3 minutes, until shallots start to soften. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in flour and parsley, cook for 1 minute. Slowly add in milk, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Continue whisking until sauce thickens.
- Slowly stir in the sauce until heated through. Add cooked pasta. Toss to cover and serve.
Notes
For a more traditional tasting pesto, add 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts to the pesto before blending.
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Grab my done-for-you dinner plan with simple, 5-ingredient meals and a grocery list, so you don’t have to figure out dinner this week.
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