Nothing annoys me more than when a recipe advertises itself as cheap and simple and then goes on to require 20 ingredients, a plethora of pans & insane cooking vocabulary that flies right over my head. So, when I say this recipe is easy, simple and affordable, know you can trust me! ;))
Going forward, also note that I am in no way shape or form a chef. Simply just a girl trying to come up with an easy, semi nutritional, & yummy dinner recipe.
There are probably a good deal of things you’re about to read that I am doing wrong or could be made better. This recipe is incredibly malleable, so if you’re not fond of an ingredient, switch it out with one you’re more interested in.
Ingredients
feeds 2 people
Pesto Pasta Sauce
half a jar
The brand of your pesto does not matter. I think I have used a different jar every time I have made this recipe and have loved it equally each time. When we’re referring to the amount of pesto.. you want just enough to lightly cover your noodles. Pesto is an incredibly strong flavor. This isn’t a sauce you want your noodles drenched in. I typically use just under half a jar for half a box of noodles.
Yellow Bell Pepper
1 YBP
In my opinion, bell peppers are the perfect addition to a heaping bowl of pasta. They add the perfect texture and a brilliant burst of flavor to a bland bowl of pasta. I like to cut my bell peppers up into squares. When it comes to the amount, my rule of thumb is 1 bell pepper per 2 people eating the pasta.
Noodles
1/2 a box
For your noodles you’re going to want to pick something with some grooves or twists in them so the pesto has somewhere to stick. This helps to give each bite a little more flavor! I would stay away from any noodles with giant holes in it like rigatoni. The pesto will jam up inside of the noodle and would be WAY too much, trust me. Trial & error a la me. For the amount, I would do half a box per 2 people and this will still probably leave you some leftovers to take to lunch the next day.
Lemon
1/2 a lemon
I love putting lemon in my pasta.. or really anything savory. The acidity of the lemon helps to bring out the flavors of all of the other ingredients in your dish. I would start with half of the lemon, stir, taste a noodle and continue to add small amounts until it tastes up to your liking.
Olive Oil
1 tsp
About a teaspoon will do. All you need the oil for is sautéing your bell peppers in.
Parmesan Cheese
(optional)
Just enough to sprinkle on top at the end if you desire.
Protein Additions
I have never added protein to this dish myself but I know in some households, meat is a must at the dinner table. I think that this recipe would pair well with steak, chicken, or shrimp! Steak/shrimp grilled would pair phenomenally! For the chicken, I would cut up into cubes, season with salt, pepper & paprika and cook in a saute pan on your stove top!
The Step by Step
As always, cut up your ingredients prior to beginning the cooking process. This helps to make everything run smoothly & stop the stress before it even starts.
1. Heavily salt pasta water and boil (obviously)
2. Once it starts to boil, insert noodles. In a separate pan, begin to sauté your yellow peppers until slightly browned (if they get done before noodles simply remove from burner)
3. Once noodles have been cooked through, strain.
4. Dump noodles pack into sauce pan and add your pesto sauce, lemon juice & yellow peppers then stir until combined.
Helpful Hint: add your pesto in spoonfuls, stir, eat a noddle and continue this pattern until it reaches your desired taste preferences & use the same method with the lemon juice
5. Serve yourself some pasta in a bowl & add parm cheese if desired & enjoy!
I know what you’re thinking, this recipe is simply just regular *ss pasta with a jar of sauce. BUT it’s not! The addition of the yellow peppers adds the perfect amount of “dressing up” to make it more interesting than just sauce and noodles. If you’re not a big bell pepper fan or are looking for something a little more interesting, try adding minced garlic, mushrooms, and onions to the mix!
If this sounds more up your ally, start sautéing the garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Then add the mushrooms/onions and cover with lid to ‘sweat’ them out. After the moisture has been released from the M&O, add your bell peppers and sauté uncovered until browned.
Anyways, hope you enjoy!
XOXO – Kaitlyn
