One Pot Creamy Tuscan Pesto and Artichoke Pasta.
This easy One Pot Creamy Tuscan Pesto and Artichoke Pasta is perfect for nights when you’re craving Italian, but need something simple and easy to prepare. Linguine pasta tossed with a lemony, pesto sauce that’s creamy and so delicious! Stir in plenty of kale, artichokes, and white beans for a pasta dinner that’s cozy yet healthy(ish) too. Added bonus, this simple pasta is made all in one pot, start to finish. A terrific family dinner to serve any night of the week!
Keeping things easy, yet still cozy and colorful today. I feel like everyone is dealing with colder temperatures and snow. Therefore, pasta on a Monday feels especially fitting…because even though soup is great…variation is key!
My brother, Kai, who does all the filming for the HBH videos, became completely snowed in over the weekend. And when I say snowed in, I mean snowed in! He’s been filming up in Canada, in St. John’s, the capital of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. They were hit with a record snowstorm that left them without power for over a day. Kai was supposed to come here on Saturday, but there was no way he was getting out, his flight is now rescheduled for Tuesday. They’re hoping the roads will be plowed by then so that they’re able to GET to the airport!
There was so much snow that the town had to call in the Canadian military to help dig them out. Kai said that he and the athletes he is filming dug out a 90-year-old woman who had snow completely covering her front door (see the pic in this link of others with their doors completely covered). He said she was incredibly grateful. Honestly, I would have been freaking, but in true Kai fashion, he took a lot of photos and said it was “mellow”.
Right, mellow…
From the looks of it, it was anything but mellow, but I’m glad he can keep his cool. I’ll have to share his photos in Sunday’s favorites. It’s a lot of snow, but also so pretty.
Anyway, the point of this story is that many of us are dealing with some wintry weather. This calls for easy dinners at home…because sometimes, going out just isn’t an option. And if you happen to be in a warm climate, pasta is always a good idea, right? Enter this creamy Tuscan style pesto pasta with artichokes, white beans, and kale. I like to think of it as a Tuscan salad with the addition of pasta…basically health food.
The details.
Inspired by a pizza I made last year, I used similar flavors and ingredients, but instead of a pizza, I created a delicious one pot pasta. Yes, ONE POT. This means that this entire recipe starts and ends in the very same pot. This means less dishes, less cooking, and more time to chill by the fire, which is pretty ideal, at least for me.
Start out by cooking up some shallots along with fresh lemon zest. It’s important that this pasta is cozy, but still light and vibrant…in keeping with Healthy January. I love this combination of flavors. The shallot feels indulgent, but the lemon lightens things up.
Next, add in a good amount of water, the linguine pasta, and plenty of Tuscan kale (flat-leaf instead of curly). Yep, boil the pasta right in the same pot you’re making the sauce in. This takes a few minutes, so during this time, I like to prep the artichokes and white beans.
Moving along…
Cook the pasta until al dente…when you try the noodles, they should have a little bit of a bite to them. Then stir in canned coconut milk for an extra rich and creamy sauce, but minus the cream. Then add the basil pesto, artichokes, and white beans. Cook everything together until warmed throughout and extra creamy with a little sauce left in the bottom of the pot
Now, remove from the heat, add plenty of fresh basil, and dill. And that’s it…simple!
Divide the pasta between plates, top with fresh burrata cheese (a must) and nutty toasted pine nuts. Simple and perfect in every possible way.
The key to one pot pasta success?
Use a large enough pot. Trust me, I’ve made the mistake of selecting too small of a pot when attempting to make one pot pasta recipes and it always turns out horrible. You need to make sure to give the pasta plenty of room to expand while cooking or the pasta will turn out hard, gummy, and just not good.
Ideally, you should be using a four-quart pot or larger. This 4qt pot by Dansk that you see photographed is great. But for absolute BEST results, I would recommend using a six to eight-quart pot. I like this six-quart one from Staub.
Other than that, there are no secrets, this pasta is easy! The creaminess and all that fresh burrata cheese make it feel a touch indulgent, but in reality, it’s actually pretty healthy. Well, healthy on my terms anyway. I know some may argue this…
But healthy, healthy(ish), or neither, most importantly this pasta is delicious. Creamy, hinted with basil and lemon, swirled with kale, artichokes, and creamy white beans. Literally, every twirl of pasta is perfect.
So with that, who’s ready for a little Monday night pasta to keep things fun?
PS. I just remembered that it’s actually a holiday today too…so all the more reason to celebrate with pasta dinner!
If you make this one pot creamy Tuscan pesto and artichoke pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
One Pot Creamy Tuscan Pesto and Artichoke Pasta
Linguine pasta tossed with a lemony, pesto sauce that’s creamy and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- zest from 1 lemon, plus lemon juice for serving
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound dry linguine or similar long cut pasta
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale, finely chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1 (12 ounce) jar marinated artichokes, roughly chopped
- 1 (14 ounce) can white beans, drained
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces burrata cheese (about 2-3 balls)
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Instructions
-
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallot and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes, cook another minute. Slowly add 4 1/2 cups water, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, the pasta, and kale. Increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir frequently until the pasta is al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
2. Stir in the coconut milk, pesto, artichokes, and beans. Season, to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until warmed throughout and the pasta is creamy. Remove from the heat, stir the basil and dill.
3. Divide the pasta between plates and break the burrata over each serving of pasta. Top with pine nuts, additional herbs, lemon juice, and pepper. Enjoy!
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The world is a small place. I live in St. John’s and was going to pass along that I live in St. John’s and we had been slammed by a blizzard the past weekend. The meals I chose to cook? Crockpot Lentil Chickpea soup and One of your sheet pan salmon recipes. When I read your post this morning, I could only laugh. Of course your brother is here for snowmageddon. Looking forward to today’s recipe!
Hi Terri! Wow that is so funny! Yes, they are having a blast snowboarding around haha. I hope you are staying safe! I hope you love all of the recipes you try! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan…yes the snow in Newfoundland is quite the story right now. But, the Newfoundlanders have a good sense of humour and make the best of a bad situation. They’ve been through storms like this before. I read one story where the snow piled up so tight and high against someone’s front door that the doorbell rang..haha! Anyways..this pasta dish looks good, but I have never even tasted artichokes before…Not so sure about them..lol..But, you’ve never let me down yet, so I may have to find some. When you say “marinated” are they pickled or something?
Hi Colleen! Haha wow that is so funny! I could not imagine being in that kind of weather! WOW! Also, I hope you love this recipe when you get a chance to try it! And marinated artichokes are soaked in oil and spices, so they do not have a pickled flavor! xTieghan
Love one pot meals. The flavours are absolutely top notch ❤️
Thank you so much Arpita! xTieghan
Terri W. When I first read your post I was thinking “It SNOWS in the Virgin Islands ?!” Then I remembered last nights news about the humongous blizzard in NF. I’m in Maine and we are looking at our third big snowstorm this coming weekend. We had some unseasonably warm weather in the beginning of the winter-I knew it wouldn’t last.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. ?
Hi Marianne! OH WOW! I hope you stay safe and warm!! Also, I hope you love this recipe! Thank you so much! xTieghan
So many lovely flavors and textures in one easy pot! What a wonderful comfort dish for this time of year. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Linger! I am glad you like this and I hope you try it! xTieghan
These photos are gorgeous! Wow. I can’t wait to make this!
Thank you Libby! I hope this turns out wonderfully for you! xTieghan
Quick question: if I’m trying to make this healthier, can I sub spaghetti squash for the pasta?
HI! You can use spaghetti squash, but there is no need to use any water then. Just roast the squash, then add the creamy sauce overtop. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This pasta looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it for dinner soon!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Hi Paige! I hope you absolutely love this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Really love the combo of flavors here. And of course—-pasta always! Can’t wait to make and enjoy.
Thank you Joyce! I hope you love this one! xTieghan
Can i use spinach instead of kale?
Hi Andria! Spinach will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Making this tonight. My grocery store didn’t have burrata so I picked up “basket ricotta” (hand-dipped whole milk ricotta). Do you think that’s a good substitute?
Hey Karen! I am sure that will be delicious!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Excited to make this! Just to clarify- you don’t pour the water out when the pasta is done? Thanks!
Hi Mia! That is correct. Do not pour out any water. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, so excited to try this! Rookie question: you DON’T have to drain the pasta, correct? I’ve never made a one pot dish before and I’m assuming draining it would take out all of the flavor?
Hi Lauren! That is correct. There is no need to drain the pasta! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi!
I’ll be picking the kale from my garden. How much is a “bunch” – i.e. one cup chopped?
Thanks!!
Hi Justine! I would use about 2 cups of chopped kale. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This looks and sounds like the perfect pasta. Definitely reminds me of Italy! So simple and fresh too!
Wow thank you so much Ashley! This is so amazing to read! xTieghan
Want to make this. Brilliant. Any sub for burrata? Thanks
Hi Bebe! You can use creamy goat cheese, ricotta cheese or mozzarella cheese. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This was such a yummy dish. It was so fresh and really easy to make.
Thank you Tammy! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS, full of flavor and SO simple to make! I accidentally bought burrata with black truffles and it only added to the richness of the flavors!
Ohhh yum yum yum!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Anna! Thank you! xTieghan
This recipe is so good. I added a parmesan rind while the pasta cooked. One of my new favorites. Also, I was unsure of using coconut milk instead of heavy cream. It was perfect!
Thank you Annie! I am so glad to hear that! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was amazing! I subbed spinach for kale because I couldn’t find tuscan kale. For those of you concerned about the coconut milk I used it and you have no idea that’s what it is. It makes a ton so we’re having leftovers tonight and I’m going to throw some sausage in.
Hi Heather! Thank you for trying this recipe! I am so glad you enjoyed it and I hope it tastes amazing with sausage! xTieghan
I made this and both my husband I loved it. Five star for sure! Still curious if you can quantify the amount of kale a “bunch” is. Buying them in the store there is a huge variety of sizes. I grow it and pick off the leaves rather than harvesting the whole plant so some direction on whether a bunch is, say, one cup chopped, would be appreciated. Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Justine! You need about 2-3 cups of kale. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Delicious! I used coconut milk for creaminess (no coconut taste was present). So many nice flavors. We sat with our bowls in front of tv watching the XGames!
Yes!! I am so glad you watched! Also, so glad you loved this! Thank you Tracy! xTieghan
Could I use spaghetti squash instead of pasta?
Hi Elizabeth, You can use spaghetti squash, but there is no need to use any water then. Just roast the squash, then add the creamy sauce overtop. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
How would you time adding ingredients if you made this with fresh pasta? I cooked the kale first and added the pasta with cream and water after… or would it be better to cook pasta in its own water and add it later? Since it cooks so quickly I didn’t want to add it before the kale was mostly cooked… thoughts?
HI Shelbi, I would just cook the past in only 2 cups of water since it is fresh, it will not need nearly as much water. I haven’t tested this, but I think it should work well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight and my family loved it! Great fresh flavors and so easy to make, and all in one pot which is awesome! Your Persian inspired herb & beef stew is on the menu for tomorrow 🙂
Hi Rachel! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! I hope you enjoy the stew just as much… or even more! xTieghan
This recipe was delicious and so easy! The only thing I might suggest is that if you don’t have a wide bottom pot, it might be easier to use smaller pasta shapes. It’s hard to cook the spaghetti evenly otherwise – I broke mine in half but pieces were still sticking up and I almost had to stir it constantly to make sure the pasta was cooked! Still tasted amazing, but just more oversight was needed!
Hi Lauren! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I almost never prepare something for the first for friends.
I prefer to test the recipe out in the privacy of my own home.
But this looked so obviously extraordinary that I took the chance — and was celebrated for it as if I had created it, rather than simply followed Tieghan’s remarkable guidance.
Just perfection. Thank you, Tieghan.
Hi Richard! I am really glad you took a chance on this one and loved it!! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I was looking for an easy quarantine lunch for my kids. This was great! We all loved it. Made it with GF pasta too. Thank you!
Thank you so much Lori! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe was amazing and the sauce incredibly creamy. Just delightful! I was a little weary of the coconut milk but you can’t taste it, it just adds to the creaminess. I subbed the cheese recommended with goat cheese. I also used half the Pasta and water, and added half a roasted spaghetti squash instead (added this at the end). Repeat recipe for sure!
Thank you so much Kathleen! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
One of my favorite pasta recipes that I’ve tried! Very easy to make it your own and still tastes bomb. I didn’t use any lemon zest/juice, nuts or burrata and did mushrooms instead of beans. Worried the 4.5 cups of water was not enough for a whole pound of linguine so I only used about 2/3 of the package and turned out great. Highly recommend.
Thank you so much! I am really glad this ended up turning out so well for you! I hope you continue to enjoy this and many other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Making this for my roommates and I! Quick question; one of them is allergic to coconut milk so I’m using heavy cream. Do I add it a little later to avoid any curdling, which is what I see in some recipes?
Hi Lizzie,
You can add it in place of the coconut milk as the directions state. As long as you continue to stir, you should not have any issues with curdling. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!
YUM! This is not only delicious but sooooo easy. I think I was finished from start to eating in 20 minutes! I added mushrooms to the mixture because I had to use some up. Will definitely be making this again!
Thank you so much Lindsey!! I am so glad this one turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this recipe in quarantine, so with only 1/2 of the ingredients, and it was delicious, though much less gourmet than the original! Thought I’d let you know that it worked even though I didn’t have shallots, lemons, kale, burrata or pine nuts! I used the small 6.5 oz jar of artichokes I had on hand, a full deli container of pesto, a full can of coconut milk, and a small red onion instead of the shallots. I had about a 1/2 cup of caper berries, which added crunch in absence of the kale, and I poured in some of the caper berry brine, which brightened up the dish in absence of the lemon. With all of my substitutions I was frankly a little surprised it turned out so well, but I loved it and especially loved that it had beans in it. Thank you for an excellent and unusual recipe!
I am so glad this still turned out so well for you, Susan! Thank you so much! xTieghan
GREAT flavor and so simple to make! Another winner, Tieghan!
Thank you so much Evelyn! xTieghan
Hi! I love your recipes and all that you do-but for me, the flavors in this dish were not a win. I guess it is a personal preference? Before making this dish I honestly thought that I liked all of the flavors represented by the different ingredients, But after making it- I have to say that I threw out the dish uneaten because the flavors in it were hard for me to stomach. Sorry to give a bad review- because I really love all that you do! But I know that i always check the reviews before I make something, so I wanted to give others a heads up about this dish.
Hi Anna! I am really sorry to hear that.. Is there anything that went wrong while making it? Or anything I can help with? I hope you love some other recipes of mine! xTieghan
This recipe was BRILLIANT. I questioned how some of the ingredients would come together, but surprisingly, they really do in the end. I added capers as I had them on hand, and I’m happy I did so. Overall it was super easy to make and you can’t beat the fact that it’s a one potter.
Yes!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Cristina! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi. Late to the party on this recipe but I’m hoping you can tell me if I can substitute GF pasta? It doesn’t always lend itself to one pot meals. M
Hey Meegan,
Yes gluten free pasta will work here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This recipe is terrible. Too many flavors a without basic good flavor. Terrible!
Hi Tiffany! I am really sorry to hear that! Is there anything I can help you with? xTieghan
Did anybody else burn their shallots, crushed red pepper flakes and lemon zest to bits because it said “high heat?” When it came to “increase the heat to medium-high” I about died. I knew there was something wrong when my shallots burnt to a crisp! I hope you correct this typo so no one else has to run into this! It was still salvageable and delicious, but I wonder how much better it would’ve tasted.
Hey Kymber, I am sorry your shallots burnts. What a bummer. I will see if the recipe needs some adjustments. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I glad you still enjoyed this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Planning to make the creamy tuscan artichoke pasta with white beans. I am adjusting the recipe for 3 servings. No matter how many servings I select to the recipe, it states to add 4.5 cups of water to the boil to use for the sauce. If I am making far less serving than 8, why isn’t the amount of water adjusted accordingly.
Wont this make way too much sauce?
Hey Renee,
You need the water to cook the pasta:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Posted a question recently but I am not sure I asked it correctly because I am still confused. I am making only two servings of pasta so only cooking 4oz. Do I still need to keep the 4.5 cups of water used for cooking the pasta for the sauce? If so, would this create too much sauce for just 4oz of pasta? Just curious why the amount of water is not reduced for a lesser amount of pasta if none is discarded. The recipe says to add the other ingredients to the water – wouldn’t it be too diluted if these other ingredients were also reduced as stated when you reduce the servings.
Hey Renee,
I would cut the water in half accordingly. I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan
We made this for “Meatless Monday” and it was perfect. I was concerned the coconut milk would make it to sweet, but actually it was just perfect and all the flavours came together
Hey Gen,
Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I am thrilled that you liked it! I hope you have a great week:) xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight, it was very easy and my husband went nuts for it. Next time I’ll drain the pasta (I only used 4cups water but it made it soupy). I wasn’t sure if I should drain the marinated artichokes or not so I tossed in that liquid as well, which might have been my issue. Would definitely make again, even with the sorta soupy consistency. But I’ll need more people to feed it to, 2 of us are no match for a pound of pasta! Decided not to cut down the recipe so I won’t have to cook for a few nights.
Hey Rory,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out. Have a great weekend! xTieghan
How is kosher salt different to just salt? I am an ignorant english woman!!
Hey Julie,
The main difference between regular salt and kosher salt is the structure of the flakes. Chefs find that kosher salt — due to its large flake size — is easier to pick up with your fingers and spread over food. However, kosher salt is less likely to contain additives like anti-caking agents and iodine. xTieghan