5 from 21 votes
Trenette al Pesto
Trenette al Pesto combines tender boiled potatoes, crisp green beans, and trenette pasta tossed in a flavorful dairy-free basil pesto topped with grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese. The varied textures from tender vegetables to firm pasta, enhanced by aromatic pesto and cheese, create a harmonious dish that offers a satisfying balance of fresh and rich flavors. It’s a thoughtful preparation highlighting fresh ingredients and nuanced seasoning.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
8
servings
Calories:
422 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
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.
Cup of Yum
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
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%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 422
% 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.