Trenette al Pesto
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
30 mins
-
Cook Time
30 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr
-
Servings
8 servings
-
Calories
422 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Italian
Trenette al Pesto
Description
This recipe for Trenette al Pesto involves boiling peeled new potatoes and trimmed, halved green beans until tender, then cooking trenette pasta separately. The vegetables add a hearty texture contrast to the pasta, while the dairy-free basil pesto provides a fresh herbal flavor. Parmesan or pecorino cheese is incorporated after cooking for a complementary savory note and creamy mouthfeel. The method suggests careful timing to ensure vegetables are tender without overcooking, with the green beans often removed earlier if needed.
The pasta dish balances the starchy softness of potatoes and pasta with the crisp green beans, while the pesto sauce brings aromatic basil, garlic, nuts, and olive oil together. Parmesan cheese, added separately for texture, enriches the dish further. It serves well as a main meal or a substantial side dish.
Notes recommend using a dairy-free pesto with cheese added separately for texture. Vegetarian and vegan adaptations are possible by choosing suitable cheeses or omitting cheese with added lemon for flavor. Salting the dish at the end preserves control over seasoning. These tips help adapt the recipe to dietary needs and optimize flavor and texture.
Ingredients
- 1 pound new potatoes peeled
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and halved
- 1 pound Trenette pasta you may also substitute fettuccine or tagliatelle, or linguini pasta
- 1/2 cup basil pesto or 1 full cup of pesto with cheese - please see notes below, dairy-free
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese or to taste - please see notes below, grated or pecorino cheese
Instructions
- I prefer to make this dish with dairy-free pesto sauce, because tossing in grated parmesan separately yields the best texture. If you're planning to use a pesto sauce that already contains cheese, use 1 full cup of pesto in the recipe and skip the additional cheese, except for garnish.Place a large pot of water to boil on stovetop. You may salt the water if you wish; I prefer to salt the dish to taste at the end of cooking. Trim and halve your green beans.
- Peel your new potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
- Put the potatoes and the green beans into the pot of boiling water. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potato pieces are tender. If your green beans are small and thin, they may cook faster than the potatoes. If this happens, remove them from the pot and let the potatoes continue cooking.
- Remove vegetables from the pot with slotted spoon when tender.
- Return water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to package directions to desired tenderness.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. Return pasta to empty pot along with the cooked vegetables.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine basil pesto with a ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add additional water to create a thinner sauce, if desired.
- Pour the liquefied sauce over the pasta and vegetables, toss to coat. If you've used my pesto sauce (or another dairy free sauce), add 1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino and toss with the pasta and sauce. If your pesto already has cheese, no need to add any additional cheese, but you may wish to add some to taste if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use dairy-free pesto sauce and add grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese separately for best texture.
- To keep the dish vegetarian, use Parmesan with vegetarian rennet; for vegan, use vegan Parmesan or omit cheese and add lemon juice/zest for flavor.
- Salt the dish after cooking rather than the boiling water to better control seasoning.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 422 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 9oz | |
| Calories | 422kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 2mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 300mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 485mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1017IU | 20% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 90mg | 9% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
