Basil Pesto Alfredo Sauce Recipes

HOMEMADE ALFREDO SAUCE WITH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer; continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce is reduced and begins to thicken.
• Set heat to LOW and whisk in the parmesan cheese.
• Whisk in the basil pesto and continue to cook over low heat until smooth and creamy.
• Season with salt and pepper; taste for seasonings and pesto, and adjust accordingly.
• If sauce is too thin, add a little more parmesan cheese.
• If sauce is too thick, whisk in more cream or water.
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Serve right away or let completely cool and refrigerate.

PESTO ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• 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.
• Stir in Parmesan and simmer a few moments until the sauce begins to thicken.
• Remove from heat and serve over any pasta.
• Note on Pesto: Best made with a pure basil pesto rather than a basil-and-spinach pesto. Homemade or commercial is fine.
• Note on Parmesan: I freeze my homemade pesto without the cheese so I use the full 3/4 cup. If your pesto has a generous amount of cheese you will not need as much. Not that plenty of Parmesan is a bad thing. :D.
• If you toss this together with pasta, chunks of cooked chicken, and broccoli florets then spread it in a baking pan with plenty of shredded Mozzarella on top you get a terrific casserole.

PESTO ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir half-and-half, pesto, butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a skillet over medium-low heat; cook until hot, about 8 minutes.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

THE ULTIMATE GARLIC PESTO ALFREDO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan melt 1 tbsp butter.
• Add minced onion, garlic and mushrooms.
• Cook until nice and soft.
• Add 1/2 cup white wine and simmer on low until it reduces by 3/4.
• In a sauce pot or pan melt 2 1/2 tbsp butter.
• Stir in the flour creating a roux.
• With a whisk, mix in the milk a little at a time to avoid lumps--whisk hard and lots.
• When the mixture is smooth, pour in the cream, mix in the basil pesto, salt, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and mushroom onion garlic wine mixture.
• Mix well--pepper to taste
• Stir in the parmesan cheese, blending well; set aside.
• This sauce can be made hours ahead of time, simply reheat on your cook top on low or microwave for 30 seconds.
• Drizzle over your favorite meal. I have shown this sauce served over stir-fried vegetables and shrimp on pasta.

PESTO TORTELLINI ALFREDO

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil; stir in tortellini and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini float to the top and the filling is hot, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain.
• While the tortellini is cooking, combine Alfredo sauce, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes in a covered saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender-crisp, about 6 minutes.
• Serve cooked tortellini with Alfredo sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and season with pepper.

PASTA WITH ALFREDO-PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Finely chop basil, pine nuts and garlic in processor. With machine running, gradually add olive oil through feed tube and process until smooth. Mix in 1/2 Parmesan. Transfer pesto to small jar. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Pour enough olive oil over sauce to cover. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Bring cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in pesto. Season sauce and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan in large bowl. Toss to coat pasta evenly and serve.