Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 521kcal
Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta will be on your table in 20 minutes! Swirled with a dreamy, lemony-kale pesto. It’s basically heaven in a bowl.
Print Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cavatappi or any favorite pasta shape
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces goat cheese herbed or plain
Kale Pesto:
- 3 cups kale stems removed and torn (about 1 large bunch)
- 1 cup fresh basil tightly packed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh basil chopped
- Walnuts chopped
- Goat cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the 12 ounces cavatappi to al dente according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, pulse the 3 cups kale, 1 cup fresh basil, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, ¼ cup walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, lemon zest & juice and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-heat. Add the 1 shallot and 2 cloves garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the 4 ounces goat cheese, pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the shallot/garlic mixture. Cook, over medium heat, stirring gently, until the cheese coats the pasta, adding additional cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Add the pesto and stir gently to combine.
- Serve garnished with additional chopped basil, walnuts and goat cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3753IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg