Blistered Tomato Pesto Pasta
Pasta tossed with bright prepared pesto, blistered cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic, and finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a fresh green salad.
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Total: 25 min
- Servings: 8
- Cuisine: Italian
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: $1.72/serving
Dietary
- Egg-Free
- Vegetarian
- Nut-Free
- Pescatarian
- Low-Sugar
- Low-Fat
- Low-Saturated-Fat
- Low-Cholesterol
- Low-Calorie
Tags
- quick
- healthy
- savory
- tangy
- classic
- comfort food
- budget-friendly
Ingredients
- 1 pound short pasta
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 0.5 cup prepared pesto
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 garlic bread (store-bought)
- 1 package mixed greens
- 0.25 cup balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to soften and blister.
- Add the cooked pasta and prepared pesto to the skillet. Toss well to coat. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Meanwhile, bake store-bought garlic bread according to package directions.
- Serve the pasta with warm garlic bread and a simple green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.
Notes
Adjust the amount of pesto to your family's taste. A spoonful of cream cheese or mascarpone can be added for a creamier sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 322
- Protein: 11.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fat: 10.7 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 487 mg
- Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Cholesterol: 8 mg