This Artichoke Pesto Pasta is an easy 30-minute pasta dinner, made with an artichoke pesto using canned artichoke hearts for a creamy and flavorful Italian meal. The artichokes are blended into the pesto and stirred throughout the pasta, adding flavor and texture.
Try red pesto like Busiate with Pesto Trapanese for a different flavor!
Looking for more 30-minute meals? Try our Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil, Sausage and Fennel Pasta, or Pasta with Peas and Pancetta.
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Artichoke Pesto Pasta
- ⏲️Ready in: 30 minutes
- 👪Makes: 8 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: Artichokes, Spaghetti, Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: Artichoke pesto pasta is great because it is so quick to make, while still having bright and fresh flavor and a creamy texture without any heavy cream!
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Why You'll Love Artichoke Pesto Pasta
Artichoke pesto pasta is creamy without cream, bright from lemon, and hearty enough for a weeknight dinner without feeling heavy. It adds body and a mild briny flavor to the dish. I prefer using water-packed artichokes here because they let the basil, olive oil, cheese, and lemon stay balanced, giving me more control over the flavor.
If you have kids, sometimes convincing them to eat an artichoke would be like convincing me it would be fun to go skydiving. Blending the artichokes into the pesto makes the sauce a family-friendly recipe, while not feeling like plain pesto spaghetti.
What's great with pesto is that you can make extra and save it for recipes like Pesto Stuffed Chicken, topping Italian Chicken Cutlets, or Classic Pork Chop Milanese.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Artichokes. You can use marinated artichokes or artichokes in water. I prefer using artichokes in water for a recipe like this because I have more control over the flavor of the artichokes. I've tried it both ways, though, and it works perfectly fine.
- Spaghetti. Artichoke pesto pairs best with long pasta. The combination of the chunky artichokes and pasta is a great texture pairing. Substitute linguine if necessary, but I would stay away from angel hair for this one.
- Pesto. I made a traditional pesto for this pasta, but added artichokes. You can follow this recipe or try using our Pistachio Pesto or Pea Pesto, depending on what ingredients you have available. Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta is another great winter pesto that uses less basil!
- Olive Oil. I always advocate for high-quality extra virgin olive oil, especially for a dish that uses pesto. The olive oil will heavily influence the flavor of the pesto. Always look for single-olive olive oils. That's a great way to find quality olive oil.
- Parmigiano. I recommend using Parmigiano Reggiano, but you can substitute Pecorino Romano.
*Please see more information about ingredients below in the recipe card.
How to make Artichoke Pesto Pasta
If you have all your ingredients prepared, this recipe can be completed in just 30 minutes. It's so easy, and the pesto can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator or freezer.
Step 1: Combine basil, garlic, salt, lemon juice, and pine nuts in a food processor. Process until completely broken down. Then add the artichokes and pulse until combined.
Step 2: Turn the processor on low speed and slowly drizzle the olive oil into the pesto until it reaches the desired creamy texture. Typically, I add ½ cup of olive oil, maybe a little more. Then stir in the Parmigiano.
Step 3: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil until al dente. In a large saucepan, add 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
Step 4: Stir in the chopped artichokes and sauté for one minute. Squeeze in the lemon juice and transfer ½ a cup of starchy pasta water to the pan.
Step 5: Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the pesto.
Step 6: Combine well and add another ½ cup of pasta water to make the pasta creamier. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and pine nuts and serve.
Serve artichoke pesto pasta with extra Parmigiano and top with pine nuts and basil. It's so easy to make and delicious. Try our other simple pasta like Classic Linguine Alla Puttanesca or Creamy Mushroom Pasta!
Vinny's Pro-Tips
- Use artichokes packed in water, not marinated in olive oil. Marinated artichokes can have different flavors depending on the brand and will add an unnecessary tangy flavor to the pesto.
- Drain artichokes well before adding them to pesto.
- When you saute the garlic, cook it low and slow so it doesn't burn. Be prepared to add the pasta water so you can stop the garlic from overcooking.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding pesto. If the pan is hot, the cheese will begin to clump and stick to the pan.
- Save extra artichoke pesto to top dishes like Grilled Polenta with Marinara and Pesto or Cast Iron Chicken Breast.
Recipe FAQs
No. Typically, I don't like to add pesto to pasta until it is removed from the heat. The Parmigiano cheese can ball up and ruin the texture if you add it to a hot pan. The pesto should be at room temperature when you add it to the pan.
Yes. Pesto can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Just be sure to remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to use it. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a saucepan with extra olive oil over medium-low heat for best reheating results.
Yes, you can serve chicken cutlets or grilled chicken on the side or you can top the pasta with chicken!
What to Serve Artichoke Pesto Pasta with
Artichoke Pesto Pasta is great for a weeknight meal, but I like to add a little protein to the meal.
- Chicken. You can add chicken right to the pasta, like slicing up our Cast Iron Chicken Breast, or you can make a chicken recipe on the side, like Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs, Chicken Spiedini, or Fennel Chicken Thighs in Red Wine.
- Seafood. Serve it alongside some of our easy and delicious fish recipes like Fried Flounder Oreganata, Lemon Garlic Broiled Flounder, or Pan-Seared Vermillion Snapper. Or add shrimp right to the dish, like in our Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta.
- Salad. Of course, there is nothing like salad and pasta. Try it with our Italian Green Bean Salad or Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad.
More 30-minute Recipes
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
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Artichoke Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
Pesto
- 2 cups basil, packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 4 artichoke hearts
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup parmigiano
Pasta
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Combine basil, garlic, salt, lemon juice, and pine nuts in a food processor. Process until completely broken down. Then add the artichokes in and pulse until combined.
- Turn the processor on low speed and slowly drizzle the olive oil into the pesto until it reaches the desired creamy texture. Typically, I add ½ cup of olive oil, maybe a little more. Then stir in the Parmigiano.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil until al dente.
- In a large saucepan, add 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Then stir in the chopped artichokes and stir for another minute. Squeeze in the lemon juice and transfer ½ a cup of the pasta water to the pan.
- Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan. Combine well with the oil and garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto. Combine well and add another ½ cup of pasta water to make the pasta creamier. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and pine nuts to serve.
Video
Notes
- Use artichokes packed in water, not marinated in olive oil. Marinated artichokes can have different flavors depending on the brand and will add an unnecessary tangy flavor to the pesto.
- Drain artichokes well before adding them to pesto.
- When you saute the garlic, cook it low and slow so it doesn't burn. Be prepared to add the pasta water so you can stop the garlic from overcooking.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding pesto. If the pan is hot, the cheese will begin to clump and stick to the pan.
- Save extra artichoke pesto to top dishes like Grilled Polenta with Marinara and Pesto or Cast Iron Chicken Breast.
Vinny says
A delicious and creamy pesto pasta that my family makes all summer! We hope you enjoy!