Almond Pesto Pasta

Dish of whole grain pasta, pesto and slivered almonds.

Ingredients

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
  • 23 cup toasted slivered almonds, divided
  • 12 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
  • 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 12 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb whole-grain pasta
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

  1. Combine garlic, 13 cup almonds, and Parmesan in a food processor and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add basil. Slowly add olive oil, scraping the sides of the work bowl as needed. Season with pepper to taste.
  2. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, reserving a small amount of cooking water.
  3. In a serving bowl, toss together pasta and pesto. (Thin pesto with reserved cooking water if necessary.) Garnish with grape tomatoes, remaining almonds, and grated Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Info: 
Calories: 345, Fat: 14g, Carbohydrate: 44.9g (Dietary Fiber: 9.1g, Sugars 2.4g) Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 5.3g

Contributor

The Taste for Life Test Kitchen

The Taste for Life staffers have a wide variety of backgrounds and dietary needs. We're always experimenting in the kitchen, and love to share what we cook—and what we learn in the process.