Red Pesto Pasta – A quick and easy weeknight dinner is ready in just 30 minutes.
Red Pesto Pasta
Course: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4-5
servings30
minutesRed Pesto Pasta – A quick and easy weeknight dinner is ready in just about 30 minutes.
Make the red pesto from scratch or buy the readymade paste and complete the pasta with the addition of vegetables and or with a meat protein of your choice. The red pesto pasta is very inviting with its bright color, full of flavor and rich in taste. Buon appetito!
Ingredients
Dry pasta of choice -500gm / 17.6 oz.
Roasted red pepper – 200gm / 7 oz.
Sun-dried tomatoes – 1/3 cup
Green olives pitted – ¼ cup
Pine nuts or chopped walnuts – 3 tbsps.
Grated Parmesan cheese – 3 tbsps.
Garlic – 2 cloves
Salt – 1 tsp.
Red pepper flakes – 2 tsps.
Dried Italian herbs – 3 tsps.
Olive oil – 1/3 cup
Fresh Basil leaves – ¼ cup
Mushrooms sliced – 500gms. / 17.6 oz.
Directions
- In a saucepan boil water. Add salt. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, grind roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, basil leaves, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt in a blender. Gradually add the olive oil to grind to a smooth paste.
- Slice mushrooms and sauté along with dried herbs and chili flakes.
- Reserve 1 cup of water before draining the pasta. Drain the water from pasta.
- In the saucepan, add the pesto paste and 1 cup reserved pasta water; stir continuously until pesto is mixed well.
- Add the pasta, sautéed mushrooms and green olives and mix evenly to cover the pasta with the pesto sauce.
- Garnish pasta with additional Parmesan cheese and basil. Serve and Enjoy!
