Fresh Spinach And Cherry Tomato Pesto Pasta

 

I couldn’t decide between pasta and salad when crafting this recipe, so I split the difference. Pesto pasta, familiar and comforting, finds a fresh counterpart in spinach and cherry tomatoes and I have spinach salad to thank for the walnuts. The result is a satisfying all-in-one meal that’s nutritious and easy to pull together. (Illustration by Betsy Freeman)

| Yield: 3-4 servings | Time: 15 minutes | 

 
 

RECIPE

  • 12 oz. penne (or similar) noodles

  • 1/2 cup pesto, store-bought or homemade

  • 2 generous handfuls of fresh spinach

  • 3/4 cup fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

  • ¼  cup fresh basil, chopped

  • ½ cup roasted walnuts, chopped

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water. Drain noodles reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water. Return to pot.

  2. Stir pesto into pasta along with fresh spinach and the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to account for any dryness. Let stand until spinach is wilted

  3. To finish, stir in cherry tomatoes, basil, walnuts and salt and pepper to taste. Divide into 4 shallow bowls and serve


    Pro serving tips:

  • Serve steaming pasta topped with an extra sprinkle of fresh walnuts and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese

  • Make it pop: Serve with fresh sourdough toast or a salad.

Cooking notes:

  • This recipe will vary from pesto to pesto. Adjust by adding salt, pepper, and or olive oil as necessary to account for any dry or bland results from the pesto

  • Roasted walnuts are the way to go. Simply toss dry walnuts in a skillet medium heat for a few minutes until they start to lightly brown and fragrant

 

Betsy Freeman is the author and illustrator of The One & Done Cookbook, on sale now.

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