Cream Cheese Pesto Pasta

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Fusilli with pesto and cream cheese

This creamy pasta dish calls for fusilli and nutrient-rich pesto. If you have difficulties swallowing, use a finer pasta such as pastina or elbow macaroni.

Prep time

10 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Total Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups fusilli
6 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons pesto sauce
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Fresh parsley, chopped
Roasted sunflower seeds

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve about ½ cup cooking liquid, then drain.
  2. Whisk cream cheese with pesto and about 6 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid until creamy. Adding more water will produce thinner sauce and less water will produce thicker sauce. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to combine.
  3. Top with Parmesan. Add parsley and sunflower seeds to taste, and serve immediately. Pasta should register 145 degrees Fahrenheit or higher using an instant-read thermometer placed in the middle of the dish.

Nutritional Information

Calories

320 calories

Carbohydrates

27g

Fat

18g

Fiber

1g

Saturated Fat

8g

Sodium

450mg

Sugar

1g