Red Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomatoes
This pasta is a fusion of spicy arrabbiata and vibrant sun-dried tomato sauce, stealing the show with its hearty red pesto and mushrooms. Topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and sage, it's the ultimate weeknight meal and special enough for a date night.
Ingredients
- 9 ounces short pasta
- 9 ounces mushrooms torn into large pieces (cremini or shiitake mushrooms)
- 3.5 ounces sun-dried tomatoes drained, cut into smaller pieces
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Red pesto
- ½ cup oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes finely chopped
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan
- salt
- black pepper
Sage breadcrumbs
- 1 cup bread crumbs finely cut bread like sourdough or ciabatta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped sage leaves
- ½ tsp chili flakes or more to taste
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, we start by making the pesto. In a saucepan, add oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant on low heat. Add tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute more, then turn off the heat. Stir in balsamic vinegar, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add parmesan and mix with an immersion blender, leaving some chunks. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Once hot, add the bread crumbs. Cook, stirring for 4 minutes until toasted and golden brown. Add sage and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Remove the bread crumbs from the skillet to a plate.
- Heat the same skillet over high heat, add olive oil and mushrooms. Cook until golden brown, then add butter and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, add lemon juice.
- Toss with pasta, red pesto and a big splash of reserved cooking water. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately topped with sage bread crumbs. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 0gCalories: 897kcalCarbohydrates: 116gProtein: 34gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 725mgPotassium: 1286mgFiber: 8gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1124IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 315mgIron: 5mg
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