Celebrate the vibrant flavors of spring with this colorful pasta dish featuring our handcrafted organic basil pesto. This light yet satisfying meal combines al dente pasta with seasonal vegetables for a perfect weeknight dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes.
Dietary Information
- ✓ Vegetarian
- ✓ Can be made vegan by using our Vegan Pesto alternative
- ✓ Can be made gluten-free with our Organic Gluten-Free Pasta
Preparation Time
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cooking: 15 minutes
- Total: 25 minutes
Ingredients
From Bio@Us Store:
- 350g Organic Italian Pasta (fusilli or farfalle work beautifully)
- 1 jar Bio@Us Organic Basil Pesto
- 100g Organic Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 jar Organic Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered
- 50g Organic Pine Nuts
- 100g Organic Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Sicily
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 organic zucchini, diced or spiralized
- 1 organic yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves organic garlic, minced
- Fresh organic basil leaves for garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully as they can burn quickly. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of our Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the zucchini and bell pepper to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Add the quartered artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes, cooking for another 2 minutes until the tomatoes begin to burst slightly.
- Reduce heat to low and add the drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables.
- Add the jar of Bio@Us Organic Basil Pesto and toss everything together. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to create a silky sauce.
- Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve immediately, topped with toasted pine nuts, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and torn basil leaves.
Why We Love This Recipe
This Spring Pesto Pasta celebrates the essence of Italian cooking – simple preparation that allows quality ingredients to shine. Our organic basil pesto is made using traditional Ligurian methods with basil grown in the Italian countryside, creating an authentic flavor that transforms this everyday pasta dish into something special.
The combination of fresh spring vegetables with our artisanal pesto creates a balanced meal that's both nutritious and satisfying. It's a versatile recipe that can be adapted based on seasonal availability, making it perfect for your weekly rotation.
Serving Suggestions
Serves 4
This pasta dish is delicious served warm as a main course, but also works beautifully as a cold pasta salad for picnics or lunch the next day. For a complete meal, serve with a simple green salad dressed with our Organic Balsamic Vinegar and a slice of crusty Italian bread.
For wine pairing, we recommend a crisp Italian Vermentino or Pinot Grigio to complement the herbaceous notes of the pesto.
Buon appetito!
