20 Minute Cheesy Pesto Pasta

Need dinner on the table in 20 minutes? We’ve got a 20 minute cheesy pesto pasta recipe that’s quick and easy to make and it’s a great special diets recipe.

What is Pesto?

Pesto is a sauce of crushed basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, typically served with pasta.

If you’ve got a need for vegetarian or gluten free recipes this is a great dinner option. You can add chicken to make it a heartier dish, but it’s actually really fantastic with just grape tomatoes. Heck, you could even throw in chopped zucchini which would also be yummy. In fact, I think I will next time.

Gluten free is easy as well, just use gluten free pasta or zucchini noodles (also known as zoodles). We love any way to use up zucchini come the summer months.

Our favorite way to serve pesto pasta is actually straight from the pan. I know, that doesn’t seem very classy, but the pan is sizzling hot and to bring it out and serve it straight into bowls really is so fun and it keeps everything fresh and fragrant versus putting it into a cold serving bowl.

We started with our Classic Pesto recipe. It’s our favorite and I think it’s the toasted garlic that really takes things over the top. We actually add a little more to the pasta as well. it’s ridiculous, but true. Garlicky, cheesy noodles are kind of awesome.

Speaking of the cheese, we keep it simple with a cup of shredded low moisture, part skim Mozzarella, but you could certainly use fresh Mozzarella, you just have to be mindful of the water. Low Moisture Mozzarella is packaged like normal cheese and is a drier variety, whereas fresh mozzarella is packaged with the water and a little of that water is going to come out in the cooking, which with pasta can make things a bit gloopy with the pesto.

I don’t know how healthy pesto pasta is considering that you dump a full cup of cheese in there, but it’s certainly better for you than a lot of other dishes out there. It’s fresh, simple and a really fast pasta to serve as a main dish.

Is Pesto Pasta Safe for My Dog?

Maybe. … Pine nuts are safe in small quantities, but avoid pesto recipes that call for walnuts as they are toxic.

Basil and parsley are safe for your dog; however, avoid adding salt as your dog becomes easily dehydrated if he eats too much.

What Pasta is Best for Pesto?

The general rule is that delicate noodles are for delicate sauces while heartier noodles are for heartier sauces.

We recommend CAPELLINI (a.k.a. ANGEL HAIR) Light and ethereal, these wispy strands do well with lighter, thin sauces.

20 Minute Cheesy Pesto Pasta

Yield: 4

20 Minute Cheesy Pesto Pasta Recipe

Total Time: 20

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Need dinner on the table in 20 minutes? We’ve got a 20 minute cheesy pesto pasta recipe that’s quick and easy to make and it’s a great special diets recipe.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Teaspoon Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
• 1 clove Garlic Minced
• 1 pound Angel Hair Pasta
• 1 1/4 Cup Pesto (Prepared)
• 1 Cup Mozzarella, Shredded, Low Moisture, Part Skim
• 2 Cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare the pesto according to the recipe provided.
2. Prepare the pasta according to package instructions.
3. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the oil and garlic and stir continually until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
4. Turn the skillet down to medium low heat.
5. Drain the pasta, and add quickly to the skillet along with the pesto, and grape tomatoes.
6. Give everything a quick toss and add the cheese, tossing the noodles with tongs.
7. Serve the pasta and top with a fresh crack of black pepper.

Gluten free pasta or zucchini noodles can be used in place of pasta.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 4, Serving Size: 1

• Amount Per Serving:
• Calories: 905 Calories
• Total Fat: 62g

All images and text ©Carrian Cheney for Oh Sweet Basil.

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