Pasta with Pesto and Broccolini
I’ve got a tasty, easy, 30-minute, one-pot, kid approved pasta dish for you all. I make this pasta up all of the time and I love it because it’s simple, kid approved and even makes enough leftovers for the kid’s lunches the next day. Yippee!
This is a meatless pasta dish, but some nights we don’t feel like eating meatless, so I’ll add a bit of protein to our pasta like chicken sausages.
I occasionally use store-bought pesto, but since I’ve discovered my new FAVORITE kale, spinach and basil pesto, I find myself making up this pasta just so that I can eat some more of this pesto. YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS PESTO, IT’S A GAME CHANGER!
Also, my kids LOVE broccolini in any shape or form, so I love tossing a few bunches of that into the pasta! The broccolini cooks up with the pasta, making this dinner even easier! Ok, let’s make up some pasta.
Pasta with Pesto and Broccolini
serves 4-6
- 2 cups of kale, spinach and basil pesto – you can use your favorite store-bought pesto, but I would highly recommend trying the kale pesto
- 2 bunches broccolini, washed and trimmed
- 1 pound (1 box) rigatoni, or your favorite pasta – you can also use brown rice pasta to make it GF
- Parmesan cheese for topping
- Optional – 4 sweet Italian sausages, sautéed with bit of olive oil on skillet and then sliced into rounds
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Now’s the time to make up the kale, spinach and basil pesto, if you haven’t done so already. I always make up my pesto ahead to time to save myself this step.
Wash and trim your broccolini.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the broccolini during the last minute of cooking time. Basically if your pasta says it will be done in 13 minutes, then set a timer for 12 minutes and then add the broccolini for the last minute of cooking time (making it a total of 13 minutes). I love cooking the broccolini with the pasta, because it’s all done in one pot and at the same time.
Drain both the pasta and broccolini together.
Put the pasta and broccolini back into the same pot you cooked the pasta in, and add in the pesto and sliced sausage, if using. Toss everything to combine.
Serve up the pasta into individual bowls, and top with some parmesan cheese.
This is a tasty, kid approved, easy weeknight, one-bowl, one-pot meatless pasta! Enjoy!
It even makes great leftovers for the kid’s lunches, as it’s great cold or warm. Here’s a photo of Eli’s lunch with the leftover pasta.
Pasta with Pesto and Broccolini
4-6
servingsIngredients
2 cups of kale, spinach and basil pesto - or you can use your favorite store-bought pesto, but I would highly recommend trying the kale pesto
2 bunches of broccolini, washed and trimmed
1 pound (1 box) rigatoni, or your favorite pasta- you can also use brown rices pasta to make it GF
Parmesan cheese for topping
Optional - 4 sweet Italian sausages, sautéed with bit of olive oil on skillet and then sliced into rounds
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Now's the time to make up the kale, spinach and basil pesto, if you haven't done so already. I usually make up my pesto ahead to time to save myself this step.
Wash and trim your broccolini.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the broccolini during the last minute of cooking time. Basically if your pasta says it will be done in 13 minutes, then set a timer for 12 minutes and then add the broccolini for the last minute of cooking time (making it a total of 13 minutes).
Drain both the pasta and broccolini together.
Put the pasta and broccolini back into the same pot you cooked them in, and add in the pesto and sliced sausage, if using. Toss everything to combine.
Serve up the pasta into individual bowls, and top with some parmesan cheese.
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I want to share with you guys a simple lesson about reading ingredients. Here’s my favorite brand of coconut milk, Native Forest. As you can see, they have 2 kinds of the full fat unsweetened coconut milk, one is called simple, and one is classic. The difference here is in the ingredients, one contains guar gum and one doesn’t.
You really want to look at the labels and the ingredients, and not just trust the brand is the same across all products.
I love this Native Forest, Simple, because again it clearly states no quars, and if you look in the ingredients, you’ll see organic coconut milk, organic coconut, filtered water. Simple whole food ingredients, no added fillers, gums, or flavors. You always want to look for a BPA free cans and the USDA organic stamp, which means its certified organic, so there’s no GMO’s, pesticides etc.
What is guar gum, and why is it bad?
Guar gum, which is derived from the guar bean is a thickening agent that can wreak havoc on your digestive system by causing bloating, gas, and discomfort. It can disrupt the delicate balance of your gut microbiome, leading to inflammation and impaired nutrient absorption. It’s also seen a lot in non-dairy creamers or milks.
Was this helpful? If so, let me know in the comments below, 👇 as well as what else you would like to see, or know more about?
#readlabels #readfoodlabels #guargum #guthealth #guthealing #inflammationrelief #antiimflammatory
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Comment ‘easy buckwheat’ and I’ll send you the recipe.
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This breakfast is hubby approved. Steve tried this the other day and kept saying, “this is the best breakfast,” “man, this is SO good.” So if I can get my mountain biking, carb loving hubby to happily eat of bowl of this, then I think your family might love this too.
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Comment ‘turkey burger’ and I’ll DM you the recipe link.
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Comment ‘vegan bowl’ and I’ll DM you the recipe.
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Comment ‘oat bars’ and I’ll DM you the recipe.
The great thing is you don’t have to feel guilty, as these are made with pretty healthy ingredients and are GF, DF and refined sugar free. I love having these on hand for that afternoon, or post lunch craving. They hit the spot perfectly. #healthy #healthysnacks #healthysnackideas #healthysnack #refinedsugarfree #norefinedsugar #healthydesserts #healthydessert #healthydessertrecipes #healthysnackrecipes
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Comment ‘miso” and I’ll send you the recipe.
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