Vegan Pesto Pasta - 10 Minute Alfredo Pasta Recipe {Gluten-Free} (2024)

FAQs

What is pesto alfredo sauce made of? ›

Heat cream cheese, milk (or milk and cream), and garlic together in a small saucepan. Bring just barely to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until cream cheese is fully melted into the milk. Stir in the pesto and reheat to just barely boiling again.

It has a pretty high sodium content unless you make it from scratch, but both versions have an added protein boost. Alfredo sauce is based on cream and cheese as its two primary ingredients. Neither sauce is going to win a health competition, but pesto is the superior option for that reason.

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

1,048 calories. 29g protein.

Add 1/4 cup chicken stock and a bit of heavy cream, maybe 2 Tbsp, and add in my pesto. Let it all cook together until it's the consistency I want, then add in the pasta, toss, and serve immediately.

Because its ingredients include olive oil, nuts, and cheese, pesto can be high in calories and fat. However, the fat is primarily unsaturated and may have heart health benefits. Pesto is also full of antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.

I use a jarred alfredo sauce (or you could use this homemade alfredo sauce recipe), short cut pasta and a little pre-made pesto sauce. Very very simple, but the creamy sauce mixed with the pesto is really the best-o.

There are four particular forms of fat: saturated fat, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat. Saturated fat increases your LDL levels of cholesterol. Whereas foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat like pesto can decrease LDL. It also boosts HDL (considered “good” cholesterol) levels.

Pesto contains, on average, 1% salt. That's not enough for it to be labelled a "high salt" food, but it is enough for the government to recommend that it should only be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease. Tomato-based sauces also contain more nutrients like vitamin A and lycopene.

Weis Pesto Penne Gluten Free (1 cup) contains 63g total carbs, 61g net carbs, 9g fat, 12g protein, and 380 calories.

Is pesto calorie heavy? ›

That's largely down to the fact that most pesto sauces contain generous amounts of oil, nuts, and cheese. All three of these are high in fat and calories, so eating too much pesto, too regularly, and not getting enough exercise can ultimately be fattening.

Even though pesto is rather high in calories and fat, this tasty sauce offers a wealth of nutrients and flavor that many others lack. With so much emphasis placed on the foods you eat, it is easy to overlook the importance of the condiments and sauces used to flavor your meals.

PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature. If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.

As a very rough guide, your pesto should weigh about 2/3 the weight of the dried pasta you are cooking. So, for a standard, single serving of 75g of dried pasta, we think that 50g of pesto is about right.

Pesto is one of the most popular pasta toppings in Italy. It originated in Liguria, specifically in Genoa. This flavorful sauce is made of basil, extra-virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, pecorino cheese, pine nuts, garlic and salt, traditionally ground in a ceramic or marble mortar.

Pesto (Italian: [ˈpesto]) is a paste that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmesan or pecorino sardo (cheese made from sheep's milk), all blended with olive oil. It originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy.

Traditional pesto is a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. With a food processor, it comes together in just a few steps: Pulse the nuts, lemon juice, and garlic in the food processor until they're finely chopped. Add the basil and pulse again.

Pesto Pasta Ingredients

Onion and oil: Cook the onion in olive oil until it's translucent. Pesto: Use store-bought or homemade pesto sauce. Seasonings: This pesto pasta is simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Cheese: Grate your own Parmesan cheese instead of using the pre-shredded stuff.