This pasta looks so rich and creamy, and it is- but it’s a trick! I use myGuiltless Alfredo Sauce as a base so it’s a sneaky little not-so-bad for you sauce. Adding pesto to it adds incredible flavor. It’s topped with oven roasted tomatoes and mushrooms and sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese and buttery pinenuts. Oh and I should tell you that I don’t like mushrooms and I can’t eat a raw tomato. Seriously. But roasting these things in the oven does magical things and they turn out sooo yummy. So I challenge any mushroom-tomato haters to try this one.
It comes together pretty quickly too if you do everything in the right steps, so that’s how I’ll write the instructions. I made this a vegetarian meal, but it would be fantastic with some grilled chicken on top
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/2 batch Guiltless Alfredo Sauce
- 1/2 lb Farfalle/Bowtie Pasta that's 1/2 a 16oz box or a little over 3 cups dry pasta
- 3.5 oz Pesto that's about 1/3 cup, or 1/2 of a 7oz container they sell in stores
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 8 oz mushrooms about 3 C sliced
- 3 T pine nuts
- Parmesan cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- 1. Prepare your Guiltless Alfredo sauce. When it's finished, just make sure it's covered and set it aside.
- 2. Place a large stock pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.
- 3. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice. Place tomatoes and mushrooms on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil (3-4 T should do it) toss with your fingers making sure everything is coated and then lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes. You can tell the tomatoes are ready when the skins start to split. Don't overcook them or they'll be mush!
- 4. When water comes to a boil add a little salt and the pasta.
- 5. Toast pine nuts: Place nuts in a dry skillet on med heat. Stir constantly. They will start to turn glossy which means the oils are releasing. Then they'll start to brown. (have you checked your pasta? go check your pasta) Let them get golden brown and then remove them from the pan to cool. It should take about 7-10 minutes total.
- 6. Your pasta should be done, drain it if you haven't already.
- 7. Add pesto to alfredo sauce and stir to combine well.
- 8. Tomatoes and mushrooms should be done about now, take them out of the oven.
- Put it all together! Place pasta in a large bowl and combine with as much sauce as you need. Place tomatoes and mushrooms on top and sprinkle on lots of fresh parmesan cheese. Sprinkle pine nuts on top and serve.
Questions & Reviews
Thank you so much! I made this last night and everyone loved it! It was so delicious and so easy. This is one of my new favorite dishes. Thanks for all you do!
This sounds sooooo delicious! I used to hate mushrooms (literally made me gag) but something happened in the last couple of years. I actually buy them now and have learned to LOVE them! I am definitely going to be trying this out!
Ohhh,looks delicious. I’m not a mushroom fan and Drew doesn’t really like mushrooms or fresh tomatoes. However, I think I would be willing to try the mushrooms this way. We’ll see if you were persuasive enough to change Drew’s mind too. 🙂 Either way, I’m sure we’ll be making this soon!
Looks great! I agree about the toasted pine nuts! Delicious!
MMmmm, totally love all the ingredients, so I hope to making this soon. Impossible to give up carbs!
I see things are going really well with your big girl camera! Love the recipe.
Looks amazing. I totally love mushrooms. I thought I was normal, but guess not.
Sara this is so up my family food’s alley, thank you! I will be picking up tomatoes and mushrooms today to try it out. I’m trying to think of something I can challenge you to go without if it means amazing recipes come from your deprivation!
Kate, have you toasted them? I used to hate pine nuts, but something happen and I totally love them now! Especially toasted. Mmmm…
Mmmmmm…that looks so good! I’m not super-crazy about pinenuts, so I’d probably cut way back on them, but that looks awesome!