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This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta is made using zucchini noodles and gluten free pasta and is flavored with pancetta and mushrooms, making this a healthy and filling gluten free pasta recipe.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by California Sun Dry. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that help me run this site!
Everyone loves pesto, especially when that pesto is paired with pasta! For the past few months, I've shared several sun-dried tomato recipes, like this frittata and this chicken, but this pasta may just be my favorite one yet.
See, as much as I love cooking, I really love taking short cuts, which is why I opted to use California Sun Dry sun-dried tomato pesto in this recipe. First of all, it's delicious and second of all, it's convenient. It's a win-win, really.
Let's walk through how to make this recipe..
PESTO PASTA INGREDIENTS
This pasta recipe uses both zucchini noodles and gluten free pasta noodles because personally, I enjoy the combination of flavors and textures, plus zucchini noodles are such an easy way to add vegetables to a dish.
- Zucchini
- Gluten free pasta noodles (I used quinoa pasta)
- Pancetta
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- California Sun Dry Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
HOW TO MAKE SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO PASTA
Since we're using high-quality jarred pesto, this recipe is even quicker to prepare!
Start by cooking the pasta over the stove as you normally would. The pasta is optional, but I love adding a little bit of regular (or in this case, gluten free) pasta noodles to zucchini noodle dishes for some oomph. Next, spiralize the zucchini and set it aside.
Add the pancetta and mushrooms to a skillet and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the pancetta is cooked. At this point you should add the zucchini noodles to the skillet and toss them for 2-3 minutes. The key is to warm them up a bit but you don't want to cook them for too long or else they'll get soggy. If you decided to make pasta, add the cooked pasta noodles to the skillet them remove the skillet from the heat.
Add the sun-dried tomato pesto and use kitchen tongs to toss everything together. ...and that's it! It's an easy and healthy weeknight recipe that even carb lovers will adore.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
Noodles: I think zucchini works really well with pesto, but you could also use sweet potato noodles. Or, if you're not gluten free, add in some regular pasta along with the spiralized vegetable noodles!
Pancetta: Could use bacon instead OR tempeh to keep this vegetarian.
Parmesan: Any sort of Italian cheese works (think: asiago/pecorino/etc.). Alternatively, you can omit the cheese if you prefer.
OTHER HEALTHY PASTA RECIPES
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Fresh Tomato Spaghetti Squash
- Garlic Zucchini Noodle Pasta
- Kale Pesto Zoodles
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini
- .25 lb. gluten free pasta (optional)
- 4 oz. pancetta
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup California Sun Dry sun-dried tomato pesto
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- If you're adding pasta to this dish, cook the pasta over the stove as you normally would.
- Meanwhile, run the zucchini through your spiralizer then set aside.
- Add pancetta and mushrooms to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the pancetta is cooked. Add the zucchini noodles to the skillet and use tongs to toss them for 2-3 minutes. You want the noodles to be warm but not soggy.
- Remove skillet from the heat, then add the regular pasta noodles into the skillet. Last, add the pesto and use kitchen tongs to combine everything together.
- Transfer pasta into bowls then top with cheese. Enjoy!
Beverley @ Born to Sweat says
I'm so curious! What do you teach?? (You've probably mentioned it before a million times, but im too busy looking at the photos hehe).
This pasta would be an awesome post workout carb reload!
Erin says
Yeah it would! And I teach barre at The Barre Code... so basically barre+HIIT combined
Emilie @ Emilie Eats says
Loving how easy this is!! I definitely need to try your pesto recipe ASAP. It may be dangerous....;)
Erin says
ALL pesto is dangerous 😀
Annie says
This looks SO GOOD! And we are binging the OJ show too!!
Erin says
Yayyyy! Glad I'm not the only one watching it. And thanks--sun-dried tomatoes ftw!
Medha says
This pasta looks super creamy and totally delicious! Also, adding that show to my repertoire- it sounds addicting and suspenseful as anything.
Erin says
It is! I think you'll like it.
rachel @ athletic avocado says
Love how easy and delish this is! And of course, you can't go wrong with all the pasta and sundried tomato anything!
Erin says
So true--thanks!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
This pasta looks so good! I'm also a YUGE fan of sundried tomatoes. They add so much flavor!
And I haven't been watching the People vs OJ Simpson but now I'm intrigued. It's a story that I don't know much about other than the majority of people thinks he is guilty for murdering his wife (and friend?). Except for my grandma. She thinks he innocent, haha!
Erin says
They really do! And LOL at your grandma... definitely watch it if you get a chance--it's informative and entertaining too.
Kelly @ Kelly Runs For Food says
Mmmm I do love a good bowl of pasta. I had leftover spaghetti for lunch, in fact, haha. I haven't seen the OJ show, but now I feel like I should check it out. I have a super long list of shows I want to watch, though, and never seem to get to them!
Erin says
I bet you would find it pretty interesting!
Julia Mueller says
Busy girl! I hope all your classes went well this morning and that you've had time to relax! I'm dying over this sun-dried tomato pesto pasta...I love all things sun dried tomato and pesto, plus I've been hitting the carbs like nooooobody's biznatch, so this is looking like the perfect meal to me! 😀
Erin says
I've been hitting the carbs HARD for the past several years 😀 Glad you love sun dried tomatoes as much as I do!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
This sounds delicious!!! I recently went to a cooking class where we learned to make fresh pasta and since then, my husband and I have been sort of obsessed haha. This sounds delicious! I <3 Pesto! 🙂
Erin says
Whoaaa that'd be so cool! I've never made my own pasta buuut I can only imagine how much better it tastes.
Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It says
I'm Italian, so pasta is my life. So are sun-dried tomatoes. So basically this recipe is my life! Hahah thanks so much for sharing Erin! <3
Erin says
This recipe was made for youuuuu!
Marina @ Snackie Bird says
I love People vs OJ Simpson! I didn`t know anything about this story in the first. But now I love to look at justice in USA. Completely different from Russian system. Also, good binge watching requires a big bowl of good pasta 😉
Erin says
I'm glad you're liking the show as much as I am!