Creamy Pesto Goat Cheese Pasta will be on your table in 20 minutes! Swirled with a dreamy, lemony-kale pesto. It’s basically heaven in a bowl.
Table of Contents
In about the time it takes to cook a pot of pasta, you’ll have this yummy lemon goat cheese pasta on your table.
When I dreamed up this recipe in my head, I was originally going to make a garlic goat cheese pasta with bits of sauteed kale running through it. But then visions of this broccoli pesto started running through my head and I decided to make a kale pesto instead, and swirl it together with the creamy pasta.
It was a good decision, because I’m totally obsessed with this recipe.
Ingredient notes
- Pasta – You can use any pasta shape that you prefer. See suggestions in the FAQ section below.
- Goat Cheese – Look for goat cheese labelled as soft ‘chèvre’. It’s most often sold in the specialty cheese case near the produce section of many markets. It is packaged in logs. You can use plain goat cheese, but I used an herb goat cheese to give my pasta extra flavor.
- Olive Oil
- Shallot & Garlic
- Kale
- Basil
- Walnuts
- Lemon
- Salt
How to make it
- Cook the Pasta – to al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid for later.
- Make the Pesto – pulse together kale, basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and lemon.
- Saute Shallots & Garlic – until softened.
- Combine Pasta – with shallots and garlic, goat cheese, and a splash of pasta water.
- Swirl in the Pesto – here’s where it really gets good!
- Serve – garnished with extra basil, goat cheese, and/or walnuts.
Tip: You want to cook your pasta to just al dente as it will continue to cook when it gets combined with the goat cheese. This ensures that you won’t have soggy pasta.
Recipe FAQs
The goat cheese will melt right into the warm pasta when combined with a bit of the pasta cooking liquid and heated over medium heat. Add additional pasta cooking liquid as needed to reach your desired creamy consistency.
Yes! There are some great benefits to using goat cheese in this pasta recipe:
It is lower in calories than cow cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella.
It has more essential nutrients – vitamins A & B, potassium, and magnesium.
It has less lactose than cow cheeses and can be more easily digested.
I used cavatappi pasta in this recipe. I just love the curly-q shape. However, you can use any type of pasta that you prefer. Other great options are rigatoni, linguini, spaghetti farfalle, and shells.
What do you serve with it?
This recipe is a meal all on its own but is extra delightful when served alongside a fresh salad, crusty bread, and any of these light sides:
- MORE → the BEST sides for pasta
Erin’s wine pairings
- Sauvignon Blanc pairs very nicely with this rich, creamy sauce.
- Pinot Gris is another great match – With bright acidity and notes of citrus, it’ll pair well.
- MORE → wine pairings for pasta.
More recipes using goat cheese
- More → 25+ Goat Cheese Recipes
More pasta recipes
Did you try this goat cheese pesto pasta?
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Full Recipe
Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cavatappi (or any favorite pasta shape)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 ounces goat cheese (herbed or plain)
Kale Pesto:
- 3 cups kale (stems removed and torn (about 1 large bunch))
- 1 cup fresh basil (tightly packed)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup walnuts (or pine nuts )
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh basil (chopped )
- Walnuts (chopped)
- Goat cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the 12 ounces cavatappi to al dente according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, pulse the 3 cups kale, 1 cup fresh basil, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, ¼ cup walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, lemon zest & juice and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add the 1 shallot and 2 cloves garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the 4 ounces goat cheese, pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the shallot/garlic mixture. Cook, over medium heat, stirring gently, until the cheese coats the pasta, adding additional cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Add the pesto and stir gently to combine.
- Serve garnished with additional chopped basil, walnuts and goat cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The goat cheese pasta recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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