10 Minute Dinner: Pesto Primavera Recipe

Wanna know what you can make in just 10 minutes? With ingredients mostly from you pantry? Pesto Primavera!

Most of you know by now that I really like to cook. I like to find recipes with obscure ingredients and spend time in the kitchen preparing these dishes for my family to enjoy. I host a lot of family dinners, playdates for friends, and gatherings for everyone. It’s unusual for me to make the same thing twice. I have way too much fun trying new recipes I find in magazines.

That is, unless it’s my go-to dish. The dish that I ALWAYS have ingredients for. The dish that despite the fact that it’s the easiest thing in the world to prepare and is assembled from 100% pantry items, I get the most compliments on and the most requests for the recipe. It only makes me slightly bitter, but I’m still glad to share my recipe for Pantry Pesto Pasta with y’all.

Pantry Pesto Pasta

Basic:
– 12 to 16 oz. pasta cooked until just firm (usually about 1-2 min. shy of the regular cooking time). I like to use dried tortellini or ravioli, but anything will work. Cook the pasta and then drain in a colander. If you are serving the dish as a pasta salad, rinse with cold water.

– 2 packages of McCormick Pesto Mix– Combine the two packages of pesto, 3/4 cup water, 6 tablespoons olive oil and cook over low heat until warm.

Optional:
– Vegetables: I like to use Birds Eye Peas with Pearl Onions or the Steam Fresh veggies. Cook according to package directions and add to colander to drain extra liquid along with the pasta. You can also use sauteed fresh veggies or cooked leftover vegetables.

– Beans: I like to toss in a can of cannellini beans or garbanzo beans. Empty the can of beans into the colander along with the veggies and pasta to drain extra liquid.

– Meats: Add any leftover cooked chicken, shrimp, or my favorite… diced smoked sausage.

– Cheese: I like to toss in a few handfuls of feta or parmesan.

Toss pasta, veggies, beans, meats, cheese and sauce in a large bowl. Leftovers can be eaten warm or cold!

My secret for easy playdates is now out…