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Home » Recipe Type » Pasta
4.7 from 11 reviews

Parsley Pasta with Parmesan

15 minutes
parsley
By: Pamela Reed
Posted:3/22/22
Updated:6/14/23
Jump to Recipe

Parsley Pasta with Parmesan recipe that takes 15 minutes to make and costs less than $4.   Your entire family will like this fresh pasta dinner meal.

pasta with parmesan and parsley in large blue pot on table.

What can you cook with parsley?

The answer to the question “What the heck do I make with a bunch of parsley” I was asking myself while standing in the kitchen is this recipe! 

You’ve been there.  You buy fresh parsley because you need 1 tablespoon for a recipe and then the rest sits in the refrigerator.  Well I’m here to help you out!  First, freeze some pesto cubes, and then make this Parmesan Parsley Pasta!

wooden spoon holding pasta  above bowl.

Cheap Meal Under $5

This delicious parsley pasta meal is super budget friendly because it costs less than $4.00 total to make.  It’s also a simple recipe for weeknights because it’s quick to make and throw on the table.

For this recipe you will need these simple ingredients:

  • 16 ounce box of rotini pasta
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Tip!

#1: Have too much parsley? Here’s how to dry parsley in the microwave.

#2: Not a fan of parsley? You can easily swap out the parsley for basil if you prefer!

How to Make Parsley Pasta with Parmesan:

Boil your pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and place back into pot until we’re ready for it.

cooked rotini in pot.

Grab your bunch of beautiful parsley.   If you’re like me, you hate when food goes to waste, so it’s recipes like this that get me excited to clean out my refrigerator!

You will be using most of the parsley (stems and leaves!) but you’ll want to cut off about 2 inches from the bottom so the recipe isn’t bitter tasting.  More stems = more bitter, so lose 2 inches from the bottom.  Keep the top section!

how to cut parsley

Place parsley in food processor, along with broth, olive oil and lemon juice. Pulse until a creamy sauce has been made.

parsley pesto in food processor

Pour parsley sauce and parmesan cheese into the pot with the pasta.

pasta with pesto and parsmean cheese added on top.

Mix to fully coat, adding salt and black pepper to taste. Once combined, serve and eat up!

fresh parsley pasta on white plate.

Can I make this with spaghetti?

Absolutely! The recipe calls for rotini, but you can easily use another pasta such as spaghetti, ziti, rigatoni, farfalle, etc. Choose your favorite pasta!

Want to add some protein?

We prefer the recipe as is, but it’s easy to add in some meat if you prefer. Add in sautéed shrimp, shredded chicken or sweet Italian sausage into the pot.

It also makes a great side dish next to pork chops or rotisserie chicken!

I hope you love this budget friendly easy recipe!

Other Pasta Recipes You May Like:

  • Cheesy Skillet Lasagna
  • Butter Garlic Pasta with Broccoli
  • Cauliflower Pasta
  • Brussels Sprouts and Rigatoni
  • Pasta and Peas
  • Italian Sausage Pasta
  • Pea Shoots Pasta
  • Broccoli Pasta
  • Italian Pasta Salad
  • Homemade Egg Noodles
  • Cheap Dinner Ideas for $5 or less

Pin for later:

We do have space available at the PS 261 location during the week of July 18th. I would suggest booking this camp location. It is our largest location and has individual classrooms, a gym, indoor bathrooms, and outdoor play yard.
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4.73 from 11 reviews

Parsley Pasta with Parmesan

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Parsley Pasta with Parmesan recipe that takes 15 minutes to make and costs less than $4.   Your entire family will like this fresh pasta dinner meal.
By: Pamela Reed
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz box rotini pasta
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to box.  Drain, put pasta back into the pot and set aside.
  • Cut the bottom of the stems off the parsley, about 2 inches from the bottom (too much parsley stems and it will taste too bitter) and discard. Keep the top portion of parsley and place in a food processor.
  • Add broth, olive oil and lemon juice to food processor and pulse until creamy.
  • Pour parsley sauce on top of hot pasta.  Add Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of salt and pepper for taste.  Stir until cheese is melted and pasta is coated in the parsley sauce.
  • Serve on plates and enjoy!

Video:

Course: Main Course
Keyword: parsley pasta, parsley recipes
Vegetarian Summer
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

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4.73 from 11 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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  1. Lisa Noble says

    July 4, 2022 at 12:12 pm

    I made this because I had those ingredients in my house, and need a quick side dish. Everyone loved it! I chose to serve it cold like a pasta salad. I made it exactly then added my own modifications. I also adding crumbled feta, a handful fresh chopped parsley, and a little extra olive oil. This is a foundation dish that you can really build on. LOVED IT.

    Reply
  2. Elizabeth Mason says

    January 27, 2021 at 7:33 pm

    It was delicious. I added some shrimp to the dish. I’ll be making this often!

    Reply
  3. Laura Blair says

    March 31, 2020 at 9:57 pm

    I made it but a vegan version using Nutritional yeast & garlic powder instead of the parmesean ..thanks for the idea !

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      April 2, 2020 at 12:36 pm

      Hey Laura, thanks for posting your vegan version! This will be super helpful to future readers! Glad you liked the recipe!

      Reply
  4. Jessica says

    July 5, 2019 at 7:34 pm

    Yum! I made this with Banza brand chickpea rotini pasta and added shrimp for extra protein! So quick and easy, thanks!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      July 6, 2019 at 10:40 am

      Thanks for commenting Jessica, I’m so happy you liked it!

      Reply
  5. Karl says

    June 5, 2019 at 10:35 pm

    Made this tonight and added cherry tomatoes. We will make it again when we have more parsley.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      June 6, 2019 at 9:11 am

      I love the addition of cherry tomatoes! Thanks for commenting Karl!

      Reply
  6. Milena says

    March 27, 2018 at 12:33 pm

    Parsley pesto is a favorite of mine, dressing a bowl of pasta with it is as good as it gets. Love this recipe and the pics are gorgeous!

    Reply
  7. Jamie says

    March 23, 2018 at 5:37 pm

    Yum – this looks amazing, and even like something my picky son would eat!! Pinning this to try soon. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Sheri says

    March 19, 2018 at 9:22 am

    This look so simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing at our To Grandma’s House We Go DIY, Crafts Recipes and more Wednesday Link Party! Hope to see you again this week!

    Reply
  9. Life Diet Health says

    March 19, 2018 at 6:18 am

    Oh wow! That’s a fantastic idea! Hubby eats parsley like lettuce… but doesn’t like basil so when we have pesto pasta he has his plain! Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe at Fiesta Friday.

    Reply
  10. MariaMay says

    March 16, 2018 at 1:04 am

    The Flavor of your pasta will be fantastic! These sound amazing! I have a soft spot in my heart for pasta. Always a favorite growing up! Can’t wait to try these homemade ones! They look perfect!

    Reply
  11. krim says

    March 16, 2018 at 1:02 am

    nice post

    Reply
  12. Suzanne says

    March 13, 2018 at 10:11 am

    I am a big fan of parsley and this is brilliant and so easy. I would use it for so many dishes and think I would prefer over traditional pesto!!

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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