BASIL PESTO TOMATO PAPPARDELLE

Pappardelle is one of my absolute favorite pastas, with it I made this BASIL PESTO TOMATO PAPPARDELLE!

Pappardelle pasta is wide and long and very flat and originates from Tuscany. It’s not too thick of a pasta or chunky; it’s not thin or wiggly. If pappardelle is cooked until al dente, than it is perfectly soft.

I buy our specific pappardelle from Trader Joe’s and it’s the actual best. You might think it’s fresh out of an Italian kitchen. And it’s only $1.99 for 8 ounces.

I talked more about my love for it here: 13 Trader Joe’s Favorites (#13).

Spicy Sausage Pappardelle recipe made it’s first debut and I kept making it over and over again. It’s a regular recipe in our house hold now.

However, I switched it up to try something new- vegeterian.
Does that scare you?

I was a little scared at first honestly but when I thought about so many good flavors already, chicken or sausage is almost unnecessary. Meatless Monday is the perfect night to try this. (We did!)

This recipe is simple and delicious with most of the ingredients that are easily around the house just waiting for a tasty meal to use them. Fast and quick for a weeknight but still something healthier.

Fresh tri-color baby tomatoes tossed with sweet yellow onion and cooked until blistered in butter and garlic act as the most flavorful base. Next, jarred basil pesto mixed with cream cheese and half & half as a thickener added to the sauce. Grated parmesan and a little pasta water give the sauce a flavorful boost to prepare for the pappardelle pasta.

This Basil Pesto Pappardelle Pasta is so flavorful and even more wonderful paired with fresh mixed greens. So healthy!

BASIL PESTO TOMATO PAPPARDELLE

January 23, 2020

by Amber Knight Uzzell

Category NOODLES

Persons

4

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER, UNSALTED
• 1/2 CUP SWEET ONION, CHOPPED
• 1 TEASPOON GARLIC, MINCED
• 1 PINT TRI-COLOR BABY GOURMET TOMATOES
• 1 JAR (6.7 OZ) BASIL PESTO
• 2 TABLESPOONS CREAM CHEESE, 1/3 LESS FAT
• 1/4 CUP HALF & HALF, FAT FREE
• 1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN
• 1/2-1 CUP PASTA WATER
• 1 PACKAGE (8 OZ) PAPPARDELLE NOODLES (I LOVE TRADER JOE’S BRAND)
• S&P TO TASTE

Instructions

1. MELT BUTTER IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN, ADD CHOPPED ONIONS AND COOK UNTIL JUST STARTING TO SOFTEN AND TURN TRANSLUCENT
2. ADD GARLIC, COOK 30 SECONDS UNTIL YOU CAN SMELL IT
3. ADD BABY TOMATOES AND COAT IN BUTTER
4. CONTINUE TO STIR AND COOK ON LOW/MEDIUM HEAT UNTIL THEY START TO BLISTER AND SOFTEN
5. START BREAKING TOMATOES BY SMASHING THEM AND CONTINUE TO COOK ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES IN TOTAL
6. HEAT WATER FOR PASTA AND COOK NOODLES ACCORDING TO PACKAGE, 8 MINUTES IS PERFECT
7. ADD CREAM CHEESE, PESTO, AND HALF & HALF TO SAUCE, MIX TOGETHER AND TURN HEAT TO LOW AND ADD PARMESAN
8. LET SIMMER AND THICKEN WHILE STIRRING OFTEN
9. SEASON WITH S&P
10. ONCE PASTA IS FINISHED COOKING, DRAIN AND RESERVE WATER
11. ADD PASTA WATER TO SAUCE 1/2 CUP AT A TIME UNTIL IT’S SAUCEY ENOUGH (I ADDED 1 CUP PASTA WATER AND IT WAS PERFECT)
12. TOSS DRAINED PASTA WITH SAUCE & TOP WITH MORE PARMESAN

Tags

italian,

meal,

pasta,

pesto,

vegeterian,

weeknight

https://www.ambslovesfood.com/basil-pesto-tomato-pappardelle/

You can use spicy chili pesto instead of the basil pesto for some heat. I found a jar in the specialty section one time at Aldi and it was incredible!

Much love,