What could be better than a piping-hot bowl of pasta when the weather outside feels particularly uninspiring? Not much! Each recipe below will comfort you—and provide a healthy dose of veggies—on days when all you want to do is snuggle up on the couch. Try these dishes from Listen to Your Vegetables: Italian-Inspired Recipes for Every Season, by Sarah Grueneberg and Kate Heddings.
Bucatini Verde with Tuscan Kale Pesto and Walnuts
I am obsessed with this green pesto and not just because it tastes crazy good—I love that it includes healthy kale and olive oil, as well as an irresistible crunch from (also healthy) walnuts! I serve the pasta hot most of the time, but it's also incredible served cold as a pasta salad.
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Porcini Bolognese with Tagliatelle
I love traditional Bolognese and wanted to create a vegetarian version that was as satisfying as its meaty counterpart. This is good enough to fool any meat eater! I use three kinds of mushrooms for texture as well as flavor, and I think it's important to layer the flavors as you cook—this is why I season with kosher salt throughout the whole process. This is a fantastic sauce to use with any dry pasta, as well as for fresh tagliatelle. Leftover Porcini Bolognese is so great on a burger with Swiss cheese or in an omelet the next day.
Paccheri Pasta with Green Olive-Pistachio Pesto
Redolent with nutty pistachios, briny olives, capers, parsley, and tarragon, this pesto is just so fresh and green. It's the perfect match for seafood and also a fun Southern Italian take on a traditional Genovese pesto. You can use the pesto as a dip or schmear with crostini for an appetizer, or as a condiment alongside grilled seafood. It would also be great in a sandwich instead of mustard or mayo, or used as a base for salad dressing—just add vinegar and olive oil. I also suggest adding grilled or sautéed shrimp or pulled rotisserie chicken to the mix—either mixed in with the pesto and pasta at the end or simply placed on top for a great presentation.
Listen To Your Vegetables: Italian-Inspired Recipes for Every Season
Listen To Your Vegetables: Italian-Inspired Recipes for Every Season
From Listen to Your Vegetables, by Sarah Grueneberg and Kate Heddings. Copyright © 2022 by Green Mountain Collection, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
