One Pot Balsamic Pesto Pasta with Green Beans and Potatoes
Description
You will love all of the flavors in this simple, yet stunning, Italian inspired vegetarian dish. Potatoes, pasta and green beans in a balsamic pesto sauce make a wonderful one pot meal.
Ingredients
Balsamic Pesto:
2 c. packed basil leaves
3 T. pine nuts
2 medium garlic cloves
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. (1/2 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta and Vegetables:
4 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
kosher salt
12 oz. green beans, cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch pieces
10 oz. fettuccine
1 c. reserved pasta cooking water, divided
Directions
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Balsamic Pesto:
In the bowl of a food processor, puree the basil, pine nuts, garlic and balsamic until finely chopped. With the processor running, add the oil in a stream until it's all incorporated. Scrape the pesto out of the processor; place in a bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese; mix. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Pasta and Vegetables:
Everything will cook in the same pot of water, so don't dump out the water until the very end.
Fill a large pot with water; add the potatoes and several tablespoons of kosher salt; bring to a boil over high heat.
After the potatoes have begun to boil, cook them for 12-15 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces the potatoes. Use a slotted spoon or a mesh strainer to scoop out the potatoes into a bowl. DO NOT DUMP OUT WATER!
In the same water, add the green beans; cook for 5-6 minutes, or until tender. Scoop them out into the bowl with a slotted spoon. DO NOT DUMP OUT WATER!
In the same water, add the fettuccine; cook according to the package directions. Before draining the pasta, measure out 1 cup of pasta water; set aside . When the pasta is done, drain the pasta; add to the bowl.
Assembly:
Add the pesto and 1/4 c. reserved pasta water to the bowl with the pasta and vegetables; toss well so that the pasta water and pesto emulsify into a creamy sauce. If needed, add more pasta water a little at a time so that the sauce is creamy but not watery.
Tips: You can cook all the ingredients together in the pot instead of doing them one at a time. I prefer to cook separately and scoop out the potatoes and then the green beans when they are done.
For a quicker dish, use store bought refrigerated pesto in place of the fresh pesto. Just add 1-2 T. of balsamic vinegar to the pesto.
4 servings - 575 calories per serving.