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RecipePesto Pasta

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
  • Calories: 370
  • Protein: 20 g
  • Total Fat: 13 g
    • Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 47 g
  • Total Sugar: 5 g
    • Natural Sugar 5 g
    • Added Sugar: 0 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1 g
  • Sodium: 720 mg
Good For
Take Note

Contains Wheat/Gluten

Contains Dairy

Vegetarian

This pasta dish is a huge hit in my house. I use broth instead of olive oil in the pesto sauce to slash calories, without sacrificing flavor. The whole-wheat penne and vegetables amp up the fiber, for a hearty and satisfying meal.

  • Prep time
  • Total Time
This recipe makes 5 servings
Ingredients:
  • 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, quartered
  • ½ cup reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 package 100% whole-grain penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch wedges (about 2 cups)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Preparation:

Combine basil, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, broth, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender and process to a loose paste. Set pesto sauce aside.

Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook penne according to package directions.  Drain and return to pot (cover to keep warm).

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini to the skillet and sauté until just softened, about 4 minutes.  Add tomatoes and continue to cook vegetables for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add sautéed vegetables and pesto sauce to pasta and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with sauce. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, or simply toss remaining ½ cup Parmesan directly into pasta pesto and mix thoroughly before serving.

Serving Size: 2 cups

Note: To dramatically cut calories and carbs, try swapping out traditional pasta for zucchini linguine. A 2-cup serving of zucchini noodles tossed with pesto sauce contains only 135 calories and 10 g carbs.
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