• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Whisk Addict
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Shop
  • About
  • Work
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Shop
  • About
  • Work
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Lifestyle
    • Shop
    • About
    • Work
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » All Recipes » Marinara and Pesto Penne Pasta | Semi-Homemade Recipe

    Marinara and Pesto Penne Pasta | Semi-Homemade Recipe

    Published On July 20, 2022 by Aayushi Patel This Post May Contain Affiliate Links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Marinara and Pesto are a match made in heaven. If you haven't tried these together, I bet you should. The marriage of umami tomatoes and garlicky herby pesto is so scrumptious. This is a semi-homemade recipe, and god it is amazing.

    Marinara Pesto Penne Pasta

    For this recipe, I use ready-made marinara and pesto sauces, to make my life easier, and meals quicker. I use Rao's Handmade Marinara, along with classic Pesto from Costco. I use this combination on my homemade pizzas, sandwiches, and lasagna too.

    Penne Pasta with Marinara and Pesto Sauce

    Thank you to my husband, who decided to mix marinara sauce and pesto at a pizza joint for his base sauces. I loved the sound of it so much, that I decided to give it a try. And you guys, I have never looked away! I am obsessed with this sauce!

    I like to use store-bought sauces, just to get myself a head start, and put an easy and quick meal on the table.

    You can find both of these sauces at Costco. I use Rao's Homemade Marinara and Kirkland's Pesto. Rao's Handmade Pasta Sauces can be expensive. But if you buy them from Costco, you get two jars of marinara sauce for the cost of one. No, this recipe is not sponsored, I just love these products.

    Ingredients and Substitutions to Make This Recipe

    • Penne Pasta - I am using penne pasta to make this recipe, but you can use any pasta of your choice. I would definitely use rigatoni pasta to make this recipe.
    • Water - We will need about 4 to 6 quarts of water to boil the patsa.
    • Marinara Sauce - A good quality Marinara Sauce will elevate this recipe. I use Rao's Handmade, other brands I like are Barilla and Ragu.
    • Pesto - You can either buy store-bought pesto or make your own at home. I have a recipe for pesto on my reels on Instagram.
    • Olive Oil - Use good quality cooking olive oil to make this recipe. You can also use butter.
    • Shallots/Onions - The caramelized onions and shallots in this recipe bring out the sweeter undertones to this sauce, which is the best.
    • Garlic - I love garlic, and this recipe speaks garlic! Don't worry it is amazing for this recipe and not overpowering.
    • Mushrooms - I am using baby Bella mushrooms, but you can use any mushrooms you like. Mushrooms with Marinara add a depth of flavor and umami to this recipe.
    • Mascarpone / Cream Cheese - You can use either of these cheeses. They add velvetiness texture to the sauce which makes this sauce so good. I personally like to use mascarpone cheese, but you can use cream cheese for this recipe.
    • Spices - I use red chili flakes and mixed Italian seasoning for this recipe. If you don't have Italian seasoning, substitute with dried oregano
    • Toppings - I like to use fresh flat leaf parsley, or cilantro and parmesan cheese.

    More Recipes You might Like

    • White Sauce Spaghetti
    • Roasted Tomatoes and Red Bell Pepper Cheesy Sauce
    • Roasted Tomato Garlic and Basil Soup
    • Creamy & Healthy Mac and Cheese
    Marinara Pesto Penne Pasta

    Marinara and Pesto Penne Pasta

    Marinara and Pesto are a match made in heaven. If you haven't tried these together, I bet you should. The marriage of umami tomatoes and garlicky herby pesto is so scrumptious. This is a semi-homemade recipe, and god it is amazing.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: 20 mins Easy Recipe, Semi-Homemade Recipes
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 893kcal
    Author: Aayushi Patel

    Equipment

    • Heavy Bottom Pot
    • Colander
    • Heavy Bottom Pan
    • Spatula

    Ingredients

    To Cook the Penne Pasta

    • 1 Lb Penne Pasta 1 box of Penne Pasta
    • 4 to 6 Quarts Water
    • 1.5 Tsp Salt

    To Make the Sauce

    • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1/2 Cup Onions Finely Chopped
    • 1.5 Tbsp Garlic Minced
    • 1 Tsp Mixed Italian Herbs
    • 1 Tsp Red Chili Flakes
    • 8-10 Baby Bella Mushrooms Sliced
    • 24 Oz Rao's Marinara 1 Jar of Marinara Sauce
    • 1/2 Cup Pesto
    • 1/3 Cup Mascarpone Cheese You can also use whipped cream cheese
    • 1 Cup Pasta Reserve Water We will reserve pasta water before straining the pasta.

    Toppings

    • 2 Tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley Finely Chopped
    • 2-3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese Finely Shredded
    • Red Chili Flakes

    Instructions

    To Cook The Pasta

    • Place a Heavy Bottom Pot on The Stove on High Flame.
    • Fill 4 to 6 quarts of water. Cover it and bring it to a boil.
    • Now when the water is heating up, start working on your sauce.
    • Once the water comes to a boil, add salt and full box of pasta.
    • Cook the pasta as per the box instructions until Al Dente.

    To Make The Sauce

    • On a Medium Flame, place the heavy bottom pan on the stove.
    • Add olive oil and let it heat up.
    • Add finely chopped onions, garlic.
    • Once the onions soften, add red chili flakes, and Italian Seasoning along with sliced mushrooms and 1/2 tsp salt.
    • Saute the mushrooms until they are cooked. It should take like 3-5 minutes.
    • Add your marinara and pesto sauce to the pan. Mix everything well.
    • Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then add mascarpone cheese or cream cheese. Mix it in the sauce and incorporate it well.
    • Once the pasta is boiled, save 1 cup of water. Then, strain the pasta using a clonader. Wash the pasta with cold water.
    • Add 1 Cup of Reserved Pasta Water to the sauce. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
    • Add your cooked pasta to the sauce. Mix it well.
    • Turn off the stove after a minute.

    Serve The Pasta

    • Serve Pasta Hot topped with fresh parsley, red chili flakes and parmesan cheese

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 893kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 4136mg | Potassium: 5010mg | Fiber: 35g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 82120IU | Vitamin C: 717mg | Calcium: 1195mg | Iron: 26mg
    Tried this recipe?We Love to Hear Your Feedback! DM us at @thewhiskaddict or tag #thewhiskaddict!

    Cajun Mayo | How to Make Cajun Mayo Dipping Sauce(Opens in a new browser tab)

    Mushroom Kurma | Mushroom Korma(Opens in a new browser tab)

    Vegetable Hakka

    « Cabbage and Carrot Fritters
    Rose Cheesecake Truffles »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi!!! My name is Aayushi, recipe developer, photographer, and writer of my blog The Whisk Addict. I share traditional Indian and Global recipes along with stories of motherhood and raising my toddler Inaaya.

    More about Aayushi?

    Latest Recipes

    • Gajar no Halvo | Gajar Halwa
    • Dal Fry
    • Herbed Parmesan Fingerling Potatoes
    • Cranberry Sauce Recipe | Easy Cranberry Orange Sauce

    As Seen In

    my foodgawker gallery
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    Back to Top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Amazon


    Subscribe & Download Your Free PDF Here

    Subscribe and Download

    Your Free Guide To Indian Spices

    Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

    Copyright © 2022, The Whisk Addict. All content on this blog is copyrighted. It may not be republished in part or whole without permission and proper credit. Please contact me to seek republishing or syndication rights.