Last night we were tired from a busy week and decided to stay in and watch comedy shows on Netflix. A favorite right now is Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee…please tell me you’ve seen this?! We find Jerry Seinfeld hilarious. We’ve been able to see him live a couple of times over the years and his standup is solid laughter from beginning to end. OK, we had a plan for what to do, but I didn’t have a plan for what we would eat. As you know, it’s usually pizza night here on Fridays, but we already had pizza one night this week and I wasn’t in the mood for it again. But pasta? Pasta I could do. Sometimes you just need comfort food, even if it is really hot and muggy outside.
So, this pasta dish is super quick and easy and the thing that takes the longest is boiling the dang water. I wish we had an optional button on the wall that gave me boiling water. I am a little (ok, a lot) impatient. We can get cold and we can get fairly hot, but boiling…are we just not ready for it?! I get that we don’t want kids (or anyone) to burn themselves, but couldn’t we password protect it or something? Or maybe I should just relax and chop my basil and drink my wine while the water boils.
I don’t know about you, but we’re busy! I am always taking a kid here or there and running around with lists of things to accomplish before the end of the day. I try my best to plan our weekly meals, and I’m less stressed when I do, but I don’t always have (or make) the time. If you’ve found yourself trying to figure out dinner in a flash, this is a perfect weeknight pasta dish!
This flavor-bomb meal comes together in less than 15 minutes AND it’s only 5 ingredients AND, more importantly (since I hate dirty dishes), it’s a one-pot meal which means easy clean up! We’re basically talking busy-mom heaven.
Do you observe Meatless Monday? This dish would be a great option, but it’s also perfect on Tuesdays or any other night of the week! If you need the meats, some spicy Italian sausage or chicken breast would be great with this.
Let’s get cooking and have dinner on the table FAST, shall we?!
How it’s Done
Get some water boiling and then get out all of the ingredients you’ll need. Remember it’s only 5 things, so you’ll have time for a sip of wine while you wait. 🙂 Keep in mind this recipe is for two, so double it if you’re feeding a family of four or if you want leftovers!
When your pasta is ready, drain and reserve some pasta water in case it feels a little dry. Return the drained pasta to the hot pan, but no need for heat.
Add the sun-dried tomato pesto and mozzarella cheese and stir to combine it all together. The cheese will melt as you stir until it’s gooey and creamy and clinging to each noodle. Now, take a taste. If it seems a little dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. I add 1 tbsp at a time in these cases, although I didn’t need to add any water back for this recipe. I always say reserve a little pasta water just in case.
Serve with shaved or grated parmesan cheese and some chopped basil, which gives the dish a really fresh taste. The cheeses add some salt to the dish, along with the salted pasta water, so you shouldn’t need any additional salt, but maybe some fresh cracked pepper.
That’s it, folks! It’s super simple and super delicious! Try it this week – if you don’t have penne on hand, use whatever pasta you have. I like the penne because the sauce sticks to each little ridge in the noodle. YUM!
If you try this recipe, SHOW ME! Tag #mybusykitchen on your favorite social media. I’m usually hanging out around Instagram! Thank you for stopping by My Busy Kitchen! – Tiffany xo
- 1 1/2 cups dry penne pasta
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tbsp salt (for pasta water)
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh shaved parmesan cheese
- 6-10 leaves fresh basil chopped
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Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
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While the water boils, get your ingredients ready. Shave or grate the parmesan and chop the basil for serving.
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Add the penne and salt to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Mine took 9 minutes.
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When the pasta is done, drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
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Return drained pasta to the hot pan and immediately add the sun dried tomato pesto and mozzarella cheese. Stir to combine.
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TASTE! If it's a little dry, add the reserved pasta water 1 tbsp at a time.
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Serve immediately with fresh shaved parmesan and chopped basil. Enjoy!
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If you love sun-dried tomatoes as much as I do, check out my Roasted Vegetable Grilled Cheese recipe here! The sun-dried tomato pesto MAKES this sandwich! 🙂