Here’s Your Bite’s Sun-Dried Tomato Walnut Pesto Pasta

By Here's Your Bite
Total Time
50 Mins
Serves
6
Serving Size
1 1/2 Cups
Meal
Dinner
Course
Main

DESCRIPTION

Here's Your Bite's One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Walnut Pesto Pasta is cozy, craveable and packed with bold flavor. Toasted walnuts level up the pesto, while creamy shellbow pasta, sausage and peas make it the ultimate one-pan comfort meal.

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Prep Time
20 Mins
Cook Time
30 Mins
Total Time
50 Mins
Calories
1048
Total Fat
66
Saturated Fat
24
Cholesterol
113
Sodium
1442
Carbohydrates
74
Dietary Fiber
6
Total Sugars
9
Protein
39
Vitamin D
1
Calcium
392
Iron
4
Potassium
1037

Ingredients

For the Sun-Dried Tomato Walnut Pesto:

  • 1/2 cup California walnuts, toasted
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed, drained)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (more as needed for consistency)
  • Salt & black pepper, to taste

For the Pasta:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, mild or spicy, casings removed (or preferred protein)
  • 1 large shallot (about 1 cup), finely diced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio)
  • 4.5 to 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (start with 4.5, add more if needed)
  • 1 lb shellbow pasta (or another short pasta)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream (adjust for desired creaminess)
  • 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Preparation

  1. In a dry pan, add in the California walnuts to toast for a couple of minutes.
  2. Once toasted, add walnuts to a food processor or blender along with sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, grated garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, red pepper, and olive oil. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  3. In a large dutch oven, brown sausage on all sides and break up with a wooden spoon. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add a touch of butter and saute shallot with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Once soft, add in garlic and cook for another minute before deglazing with white wine, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
  5. Once reduced, pour in chicken broth and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil then pour in shellbows pasta. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the pasta is just about done, add in room temperature cream and simmer for a couple minutes to thicken.
  6. Add sun-dried tomato walnut pesto, frozen peas, and cooked sausage and stir to warm through. Throw in another touch of butter and finish with parmesan and lemon zest. Stir and taste for seasonings.