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Rotini with Pesto, Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces rotini or fusilli
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
  • 2 to 3 ounces fresh basil leaves (no stems), washed and patted dry
  • 2 1/2 ounces grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese - or a combination of both - reserve a little for garnish if desired
  • 2 ounces pine nuts, toasted lightly
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
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Rotini with Pesto, Tomatoes and Spinach

by Salad Foodie
Time: 30 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook
Servings: 6
 

Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to manufacturer directions; drain and keep warm.
  2. Meanwhile, pour all but 1 tablespoon of the oil into food processor container; add half basil leaves, cheese, nuts and salt. Pulse; add remaining basil leaves and pulse again.
  3. Stir pesto into cooked drained pasta. Add spinach and toss lightly.
  4. Heat a medium size skillet with reserved tablespoon of oil; sauté garlic in it for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently 30 seconds just to warm but not cook the tomatoes.
  5. Add garlic-tomato mixture to pasta, folding gently. Serve with reserved cheese for garnish as desired.
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Summary

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2 votes | 3687 views
1 review | 1 comment

My friend's daughter tasted this last year on a vacation and dubbed it the "Best Pasta Ever." I'll go along with her on that! It's a healthy and colorful vegetarian pasta dish that will serve 6 generously, or make heaped platefuls for 4 ravenous diners! I started with the recipe the chef gave her, but it was just a list of ingredients with little information on amounts and exact procedures. Finally after the third go-round and many tweaks, I am pleased with this version. Any ridged or twisted pasta like rotini or fusilli will work here because the ridges hold the pesto well; plain flat or round pasta like spaghetti doesn't work well because the pesto just slides off and pools at the bottom. Use gluten-free or whole wheat pasta if desired.

Reviews

  • Frosted Flaker
    February 5, 2015
    Tried this and LOVED it. I can truly, really see why it's nicknamed best pasta ever. To describe in Italian: 'FABULOUS-O' !

    These days I'm not excited much about pasta dishes but the spinich and other ingredients really made this dish something I went back for second helpings for.

    I've cooked/tasted this recipe!

    Comments

    • ShaleeDP
      ShaleeDP
      February 3, 2015
      Very nice dish. Thank you for sharing.