Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (2024)

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There’s so much to love about springy pasta, creamy pesto sauce, and bright diced tomatoes, so it’s no wonder Pesto Cavatappi is Noodles and Company’s most popular dish. Here’s the perfected copycat recipe that’s faster, less expensive, and maybe even just a little more delicious.

Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (1)

This is one of my absolute favorite quick dinners to make, whether or not I’m pressed for time. It used to be my standing order at Noodles and Company, but now that I don’t live anywhere near one, I set about figuring out how to crack the cavatappi code and make it myself.

And that’s just what I did! Because when you can’t get to a Noodles, you have to bring the Noodles to you.The basil pesto flavor mixed with heavy cream is just to die for, and if you toss it over cavatappi noodles, nothing is better!

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe ingredients

Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (2)

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Cavatappi: You can substitute rotini, rigatoni, bow-tie, or any small or medium-sized pasta.
  • Mushrooms:Noodles & Company puts them in, but you can leave them out.
  • White wine: Choose a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. Or, leave the wine out and substitute more chicken broth.
  • Pesto: Make homemade pesto in your blender with fresh basil, parsley, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and a nut. Pine nut pesto is classic but Walnut pesto is really great too and a little cheaper to make. Store-bought pesto is fine too!

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large saucepan or stock pot, bring 4 quarts of water and salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add tomatoes and mushrooms (if using) and cook for about 5 minutes, until some of the liquid has been released and the tomatoes are heated through.
Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (3)
  1. Stir in the broth, wine, and cream and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (4)
  1. Add pesto and stir until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (5)
  1. Add pasta and toss until uniformly coated in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish or individual plates and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (6)

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups of pasta, enough for 8 first-course or side dish servings or 4 extremely generous bowls of pesto pasta.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Vegetarian: Substitute pasta cooking water for the chicken broth. The starches in the pasta water make the recipe even creamier.
  • Chicken: Cut up chicken breasts into chunks and add it to the olive oil before you add the tomatoes and mushrooms.
  • Shrimp: Add them to the skillet with the mushrooms and tomatoes to cook (they cook quickly).
  • Zucchini noodles: Super healthy dinner ahead! Get the sauce made and stir in raw zucchini ribbons. Serve when the zucchini is just warm. Don’t overcook it, because zucchini tastes best as pasta when it still has a little crunch.
  • More mix-ins: Black olives, fresh spinach or kale, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes are all tasty options. Throw in whole grape tomatoes to save on prep time, and add pinches of red pepper flakes for spice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you serve with pesto cavatappi?

Wedges of fresh Focaccia bread would be absolutely delicious, but if you’re looking for something lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein, try a side of simple grilled chicken or steak. You can really balance out the meal that way (and maybe even avoid a food coma!).

What is the pasta called cavatappi?

Cavatappi is a cork-screw-shaped, hollow pasta.

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Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (11)

Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Company Copycat)

By Meggan Hill

There’s so much to love about springy pasta, creamy pesto sauce, and bright diced tomatoes, so it’s no wonder Pesto Cavatappi is Noodles and Company’s most popular dish. Here’s the perfected copycat recipe that’s faster, less expensive, and maybe even just a little more delicious.

Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings (1 cup each)

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Calories 423

5 from 158 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan or stock pot, bring 4 quarts of water and salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well.

  • Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tomatoes and mushrooms (if using) and cook for about 5 minutes, until some of the liquid has been released and the tomatoes are heated through.

  • Stir in the broth, wine, and cream and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

  • Add pesto and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta and toss until uniformly coated in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish or individual plates and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Cavatappi: You can substitute rotini, rigatoni, bow-tie, or any small or medium-sized pasta.
  2. Mushrooms:Noodles & Company puts them in, but you can leave them out.
  3. White wine: Choose a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. Or, leave the wine out and substitute more chicken broth.
  4. Pesto: Make homemade pesto in your blender with fresh basil, parsley, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and a nut. Pine nut pesto is classic but Walnut pesto is really great too and a little cheaper to make. Store-bought pesto is fine too!
  5. Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups of pasta, enough for 8 first-course or side dish servings or 4 extremely generous bowls of pasta.
  6. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupCalories: 423kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 14gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 1397mgPotassium: 251mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1022IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 219mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

Meggan Hill

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

Make Your Own Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Co. Copycat Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the closest to cavatappi pasta? ›

Cavatappi are short, ridged corkscrew-shaped pasta. If you can't find them, substitute another short, sturdy pasta shape, such as rigatoni or even farfalle (bowties).

What is the best pasta to use for pesto sauce? ›

Pesto Sauce

This fresh and fragrant pasta sauce is served uncooked, so choose a pasta shape that won't overwhelm it. Similar to oil-based sauces, pesto is served best with longer cuts of pasta, like the corkscrew shape of Fusilli. Pesto works best with Bucatini, Capellini, thinner Spaghettini, and Fettuccine.

What is Cavatappi pasta made of? ›

Cavatappi is a spiral pasta with a hollow center and outer ridges. Made with just durum wheat semolina and water, this springy spiral pasta originated in Southern Italy.

Why is pesto pasta so good? ›

And it's those herbs—specifically basil—that makes pesto a bright mouthful of summer. Recipes often vary, but basic preparations always center on the previously mentioned basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil, with Italian cheeses like parmigiano reggiano and pecorino romano.

What's the difference between Cavatelli and cavatappi? ›

Cavatappi is macaroni formed in a helical tube shape. Cavatappi is the Italian word for corkscrew. Cavatelli resembles a tiny hot dog bun. Commonly known as "shells" or "seashells." These are usually sold in the plain durum wheat variety, and also in colored varieties.

What pasta is similar to Cavatelli? ›

Cavatelli is somewhat similar looking to gnocchi. Cavatelli pasta is originally from Molise and Puglia regions. This pasta is popular throughout Southern Italy.

What makes pesto taste better? ›

Properly made pesto tastes fresh and zingy and balanced, not muddy. Each flavor component is identifiable—the fragrant basil, the pungent garlic, the buttery olive oil and sweet pine nuts, the tangy cheeses—and yet none dominates. Basil is the star, for sure, but its perfume works in balance with the other ingredients.

What do Italians call pesto pasta? ›

Pesto alla genovese ( Italian: [ˈpesto alla dʒenoˈveːse, -eːze]; lit. 'Genoese pesto') refers to the original dish.

What is the best cheese for pesto? ›

Most pesto recipes call for Parmesan cheese; we often use Romano which has a stronger flavor. Basil pesto recipes often call for pine nuts, but you can easily substitute walnuts.

What is another name for cavatappi pasta? ›

Cellentani is also known as Cavatappi, which translates from Italian to “corkscrew;” the other common object this cut resembles.

Why is it called cavatappi? ›

Etymology. Cavatappi is an Italian word created by compounding cava and tappi, which literally means 'stopper (or top or cap) extractor' (a corkscrew). It is known by many other names.

Why is it called Scooby Doo pasta? ›

Vernacular names of this pasta are “scoobi doo” and “double elbows”. Typically, it has a furrowed or grooved surface making it able to hold sauces in salads and casserole dishes. Its name is technically derived from the compound terms “cava tappi” which means “tap extractor” or simply corkscrew.

How much pesto should I add to pasta? ›

So, for a standard, single serving of 75g of dried pasta, we think that 50g of pesto is about right. Naturally, everyone's tastes are different, so you'll have to adjust the quantities up or down depending on who you are cooking for. It also greatly depends on what other ingredients you are serving your pasta with.

Why does pesto make me gassy? ›

FODMAPs are found in foods such as garlic, onions, and nuts, which are commonly used in pesto. Consuming large amounts of FODMAPs can lead to digestive symptoms, such as bloating, gas, and stomach pain. Lactose intolerance: Some types of pesto contain cheese, which is a common source of lactose.

Why does my pesto pasta taste bland? ›

You do not need to cook pesto, as its flavours are best enjoyed raw. Instead, allow the residual heat from your freshly cooked pasta to gently warm it as you stir it in. Why is my pesto bland? It's likely because you need to add more basil or salt.

Does Barilla make cavatappi? ›

A delightful corkscrew-shaped pasta, Barilla® Cellentani is as fun to look at as it is to eat.

What pasta looks like mini lasagna noodles? ›

Mafalda Corta pasta – also known simply as Manfredine or reginette – is a pleasing pasta shaped like miniature lasagna ribbons. These tiny lasagna noodle-like squares cook up with a delightful al dente texture that makes them perfectly suited or both cold and hot pastas alike.

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