This easy Tomato Basil Pasta features juicy ripe tomatoes paired with sweet basil, garlic and fresh parmesan cheese. It’s light and fresh and on the table in 20 minutes!

I love using garden tomatoes to make Tomato Pie , Italian Caprese salad, of this fresh tomato cucumber salad that goes with anything!

With busy schedules comes an extra need for super easy dinners…right?! So, today I bring you the easiest, tastiest tomato basil pasta recipe that’s perfect for summer nights or a quick weeknight dinner.

How to make Tomato Basil Pasta:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside.
• While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, careful not to burn it.
• Add freshly diced tomatoes and cook, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add fresh ground black pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese. Add fresh chopped basil. In Italian-inspired pasta recipes we use sweet basil (commonly found at the grocery store).
• Serve mixture over cooked pasta. Garnish with remaining parmesan cheese.

Variations:

• Veggies: try adding chopped spinach, onion, zucchini, or asparagus.
• Chicken: Add chicken to make it heartier, and add extra protein. Saute the chicken in oil, first, (season with salt and pepper), then add garlic and continue with the recipe.
• Pasta: use whole wheat spaghetti, or any other type of pasta.

Don’t miss my other 30-minute meals, including: 

Walking Tacos

Pesto Pasta Salad

Shrimp Creole

Easy Beef Stroganoff

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!

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Tomato Basil Pasta

This easy Tomato Basil Pasta features juicy ripe tomatoes paired with sweet basil for a light and fresh meal made in just 20 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 381kcal

Author Lauren Allen

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti noodles
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 pounds Roma tomatoes , diced
• freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves , chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese , divided
• 1-2 chicken breasts , optional. See note

Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside.
• While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Once hot, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, careful not to burn it.
• Add freshly diced tomatoes and cook, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add fresh ground black pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese. Add fresh chopped basil.
• Serve mixture over hot cooked spaghetti noodles. 
• Garnish with remaining parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

Variations:

• Veggies: try adding chopped spinach, onion, zucchini, or asparagus.
• Chicken: Add chicken to make it heartier, and add extra protein. Saute the chicken in oil, first, (season with salt and pepper), then add garlic and continue with the recipe. 
• Pasta: use whole wheat spaghetti, or any other type of pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 616mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1851IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

The post Tomato Basil Pasta appeared first on Tastes Better From Scratch.

I’m all about the quick skillet meals because, let’s face it, sometimes after a long day of work you don’t really want to cook anything… but you still gotta eat. This super quick Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli combines the vibrant flavors of basil pesto with tangy cream cheese to make a deliciously rich sauce to smother the pasta, chicken, and broccoli. The pesto provides all the garlic and herbal flavor needed, so there’s no need to even dice an onion, mince garlic, or measure any herbs and spices—it’s already in the sauce! The whole dish cooks very quickly so you can have this one on the dinner table in about 30 minutes.

Originally posted 11-24-2013, updated 8-9-2020.

Can I Use a Different Pasta Shape?

Yep! Any short shaped pasta, like penne, rotini, or even macaroni will work fine for this recipe. You can use a longer type pasta, like fettuccine or linguine, but it’s a little harder to stir chunky ingredients, like the chicken and broccoli, into long pasta. Sometimes breaking it in half before cooking can help.

What Kind of Pesto Do You Use?

I used basil pesto from ALDI for this recipe because it’s super affordable. If you don’t have an ALDI store near you, Classico brand pesto and Barilla brand pesto also tend to be very affordable. 

Can I Substitute the Cream Cheese?

If you’re not into cream cheese, you can make a similar creamy sauce by substituting the cream cheese with about a ½ cup heavy cream, or replace both the chicken broth and cream cheese with 1 cup half and half. The sauce will be nice and creamy, but it won’t have that tangy cream cheese flavor that some people are not a fan of. You may need to add a pinch or two of salt at the end if you’re skipping the chicken broth.

Make it a Vegetarian Creamy Pesto Pasta

This Creamy Pesto Pasta can easily be made vegetarian. Just use a little extra broccoli, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and you’re good to go!

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

A super fast creamy pesto sauce drenches tender pasta, chicken breast, and broccoli for an easy weeknight dinner.

Total Cost $5.48 recipe / $1.37 serving

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 606.33kcal

Author Beth - Budget Bytes

Equipment

• Stainless Steel Pots and Pans
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Color Cutting Boards
• Chef's Knife

Ingredients

• 8 oz. bow tie pasta $0.67
• 8 oz. frozen broccoli florets $1.00
• 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.12
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast $2.49
• 1/3 cup basil pesto $0.73
• 1/2 cup chicken broth $0.07
• 4 oz. cream cheese $0.40

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once it reaches a full boil, add the pasta and continue to boil just until the pasta is tender, but still slightly firm in the center (7-8 minutes). Once the pasta is tender, add the frozen broccoli florets to the water with the pasta and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.
• While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken breast into ½-inch pieces. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and continue to cook until the outside of the chicken pieces are white, but they're still tender in the center (they will continue to cook as more ingredients are added).
• Add the chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and allow it to heat through. Once hot, add the cream cheese (cut into small pieces) and pesto. Continue to stir and cook until the cream cheese has melted and created a smooth, creamy sauce with the pesto and chicken broth.
• Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet and stir to coat it in the cream sauce. If the sauce becomes too dry or thick, add another splash of chicken broth to loosen it up. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 606.33kcal | Carbohydrates: 53.58g | Protein: 37.18g | Fat: 28.33g | Sodium: 725.78mg | Fiber: 7.15g

How to Make Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli – Step by Step Photos

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add 8oz. bowtie pasta and continue to boil for 7-8 minutes, or just until it’s tender with a little firmness in the center. Add ½ lb. frozen broccoli florets and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes more or just until the broccoli is tender. Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.

While the pasta and broccoli are cooking, cut one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast into ½-inch chunks.

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, add the diced chicken and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is white on the outside, but still slightly tender inside (it will continue to cook as more ingredients are added). Add ½ cup chicken broth to the skillet and allow it to heat through.

Add 4oz. cream cheese (cut into small chunks) and ⅓ cup basil pesto to the skillet. 

Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted and created a smooth sauce with the pesto and broth. The cream cheese might look a little chunky as it’s melting, but keep stirring and cooking, it will smooth out once fully melted.

Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet and stir until it is all coated in the creamy pesto sauce. If the sauce becomes too dry or too thick, add another splash of chicken broth to loosen it up.

And that’s that! So easy! If you like ranch flavored foods, I think this tangy, garlicky sauce almost tastes ranch-like. So yum!

The post Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli appeared first on Budget Bytes.

This Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce may well become your new favourite zucchini recipe. Quick, easy, economical and a great way to use zucchinis to make a luscious pasta dinner!

Real Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce – NOT “Zoodles”!

If you landed here expecting one of those low carb “zoodle” recipes, you’re going to be sorely disappointed because this is about as far as you can get from a health food trend. It’s real spaghetti all the way, in all it’s carb loaded glory, and the zucchini pasta sauce is swimming in cream.

Low carb? Absolutely not. Low fat? Nope.

100% delicious? YES!

What you need for Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Here’s what you need to make this pasta:

• Zucchinis – called courgettes in some parts of the world. 600g/1.2lb or so – bit more or less works fine;
• Pasta – this can actually be made with any pasta at all, short or long. But it does work particularly well with long pasta because the shredded zucchini kind of “clings” to it. For the photos and video, I used bucatini, the spaghetti that’s hollow inside, just for something different. Loved the extra thick pasta strands, not so fond of the strange sensation of sucking on a straw when I’m slurping up the pasta;
• Garlic and onion – essential flavour base for this simple pasta sauce;
• Parmesan – adds umami (savoury flavour) into this otherwise very simple pasta sauce. Best to use freshly grated if you can because it melts into the sauce better, but store bought grated works fine too. Don’t have parmesan? Use any cheese you have!
• Chicken or vegetable broth/stock – as above with parmesan, adds flavour into this sauce. Without it, it does lack a bit of flavour; and
• Corn isn’t essential, but it does add cheerful little pops of colour and bursts of sweetness into this pasta dish.

How to make Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce

Grating the zucchini is ideal to make a lovely creamy sauce that clings to the pasta. When you grate it, you might feel somewhat alarmed (or perhaps virtuous) at the enormous mound of zucchini. But don’t fret! It shrinks a LOT when cooked.

Key Step – tossing pasta with sauce

The creamy zucchini sauce will seem somewhat thin because the water coming out of the zucchini dilutes the cream. But don’t be concerned – once the pasta is added, the recipe calls for you to (enthusiastically) toss the pasta in the sauce for around 2 minutes on the stove which reduces the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta rather than pooling in the skillet.

The photo on the left is just when the pasta is added – you see how the sauce is just pooled in the skillet – then on the right is after 2 minutes of tossing. See how there’s no sauce left in the skillet? It’s all on the pasta!

Who ever would’ve thought you could make something so amazing from just a few drab looking zucchinis??

Being that this is loaded with zucchinis, you can totally justify not adding a side salad to your meal. But something fresh and crunchy wouldn’t go astray – try one of these:

Cucumber Salad with Herb Garlic Vinaigrette

Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomato Feta

Greek Salad

Italian Dressing Recipe

Tomato Salad with Basil

Side Salads

And if you’re cooking to impress, add a side of Garlic Bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread. Carb overload? Totally. But sometimes, you’ve just gotta live a little! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce

Recipe video above. Put the pasta when you start sautéing the zucchini - this way it will be ready at the right time.

Course Mains, Pasta

Cuisine Italian, Western

Keyword courgette pasta sauce, pasta with courgette, pasta with zucchini, zucchini pasta sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 631kcal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/2 onion , finely sliced (brown, white, yellow)
• 600g / 1.2 lb zucchini (courgette), grated using standard box grater
• 1/2 tsp EACH salt and pepper
• 1 cup thickened/heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth , low sodium
• 3/4 cup parmesan , finely grated using microplane (Note 1 for store bought)
• 300g/ 10oz spaghetti, fettucini or other long strand pasta (I used bucatini)

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Pasta:

• Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1 tablespoon of salt.
• Cook pasta per packet directions MINUS 2 minutes (yes, 2 whole minutes!) - pasta should be a bit too firm in the middle.
• Scoop out a big mug of pasta cook water, set aside (for sauce loosening, just in case), then drain.

Creamy zucchini sauce:

• Melt butter in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat.
• Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 1/2 minutes until onion is slightly golden.
• Add zucchini, cook for 1 minute. Then add salt and pepper, then stir for 2 minutes until it reduces in volume by about 1/2.
• Stir in cream, chicken stock and parmesan. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. It will still seem watery because water comes out of the zucchini - don't worry, it cooks down in the next step.
• Add pasta, then use two wooden spoons to toss well for 2 minutes, or until sauce reduces and is coating the pasta instead of pooling in the skillet. If it gets too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta cooking water. Pasta will finish cooking in this step.
• Remove from stove, serve immediately, garnished with extra parmesan.

Notes

1. Parmesan - if you grate your own, make sure you either weight the parmesan or pack the cup when measuring. This is because freshly grated parmesan is much fluffier than store bought.

If using store bought parmesan, add it in with the pasta, don't try to melt it in the sauce because it won't melt through the sauce, you'll end up with chunks of melted cheese in the sauce.

2. Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 729mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1572IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg

Life of Dozer

Yesterday. Poor Geoff – he just wants to enjoy his Chili Mac and Cheese in peace, without Dozer staring at him with rivers of drool down his chest!!

(For those who are new here, Geoff is the local who lives at the Bayview dog beach. He looks after the park like its his own backyard. We are very lucky to have him as part of our community!)

The post Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.