Almond Lemon Pesto Pasta (white pesto recipe)

This pasta is so simple, comes together in under 20 minutes. It is rich, creamy, zesty and delicious. With almonds, lemons, cream cheese and few other ingredients this recipe is the perfect summer meal to cook.

I made this recipe all thanks to Flowwow in UAE. I got a beautiful bouquet, assorted nuts and a basket of strawberries from them which inspired me to make a beautiful little lunch/brunch situation. The main star of the show is this almond lemon pesto pasta which blew my mind, for dessert we went classic with strawberries and cream. But let me get into the pasta for a hot second, I saw Giada De Laurentiis make a white pesto pasta that had pine nuts, ricotta, lemons, basil and parmesan cheese. I didn’t want to make the same thing but I have these beautiful roasted almonds which I used and a little tweaking here and there, this pasta has arguably become one of the best I have ever made. Not to mention simplest.

What is pesto?

Pesto is one of the traditional Italian sauces, most often than not made with basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. It is made in a pestle and mortar or in a grinder. The sauce is tossed with any cooked pasta and served warm or cold. It is slathered into sandwiches, dolloped over pizza or even in your salads.

What is white pesto?

This pesto is a little different, it is less on the herbs but more heavy on the lemon. It consists of roasted nuts, creamy ricotta, parmesan cheese, garlic and a little oregano. I have added lemon and removed the ricotta to replace with cream cheese for a richer pasta as the acid cuts it perfectly.

What ingredients are needed to make almond lemon pesto pasta?

To make this pasta sauce we need almonds that have been roasted/toasted, garlic cloves, lemon, cream cheese, heavy cream, chili flakes, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, dried oregano, black pepper. I have used rigatoni pasta to make this recipe but you can use any pasta you like. It would work well with spaghetti or even elbow macaroni. I like serving the pasta with fresh parsley, more parmesan cheese, black pepper and lemon juice.

What equipment is needed to make almond lemon pesto pasta?

To boiled the pasta we need a large stock pot and strainer, don’t forget to save some of the cooking liquid for later. To make the pesto sauce we need a food processor or a grinder, you could also do this in a mortar and pestle but it will take a good amount of time to make. I have tossed the pasta in a large bowl with the sauce. We will need a rubber spatula as well.

How to make almond lemon pesto pasta?

To make the sauce, blend the almonds, garlic, chili flakes in a food processor until its a fine powder like consistency. Add the cream cheese, heavy cream, lemon, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and blend again until combined. Toss the sauce in with the cooked pasta in a large bowl and add the cooking liquid to adjust the consistency as needed. Finish with fresh parsley, more pepper, parmesan.

Serving almond lemon pesto pasta?

I have enjoyed this pasta warm but you can even eat it chilled. To adjust the consistency of the pasta when reheating you can add more water as needed. This will help make the pasta more saucy as the almonds can make the sauce very thick and heavy. You can serve this pasta for lunch, brunch or dinner. I love making it on a weeknight as it is very easy to make and prepare. Having said that, pair it with a white wine or something sparkling as well. You could serve it with boiled eggs, grilled chicken or pan fried fish, add a green salad on the side to balance this dish out.

Looking for more pasta recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this almond lemon pesto pasta (white pesto recipe), you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest & instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.