Do you put pesto on pasta before or after cooking?

Pesto should be served cold, so always add it after the pasta is cooked.

What pasta goes with pesto?

If pesto is the only sauce ingredient - no chicken or vegetables - then I recommend using a more delicate pasta than recommended for this recipe. You’ll also want one that will grab onto the oil in the pesto. I would use angel hair or spaghetti.

How much pesto should you add to pasta?

As listed in this recipe, 3/4 cup of pesto with 1 pound of pasta (uncooked) is the perfect ratio.

What meat goes well with pesto pasta?

I love chicken with pesto, as you can see in this recipe. However, it’s actually good on virtually all meat - steaks, pork, lamb. I even like it on fish!

Pesto Chicken Veggie Pasta Recipe - A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®

Ingredients

Scale

10 ounces linguine, tagliatelle or pappardelle
3/4 cup Pesto Genovese, Cilantro Pesto, or Spinach Basil Pesto, divided use – see Note
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 thinly sliced yellow onion
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed
3 1/2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (can use poached, sautéed, grilled or roasted)
4 teaspoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained

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Instructions

Cook pasta per package instructions.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add salt and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, return to the pot and toss with1/4 cup pesto and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prep vegetables.
While the pasts is cooking, core, seed and slice bell peppers into thin strips and cut into 1-inch pieces. Remove tough ends of asparagus and cut the stems into 1-inch pieces.
Cook vegetables.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add peppers, onions and asparagus, cover and cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until beginning to soften, around 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 2 – 3 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Mix vegetables with other sauce ingredients.
Reduce heat to low and stir in chicken and sun-dried tomatoes; cook just until chicken is heated through, around 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup pesto and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Plate and serve.
Mound cooked pasta on a large serving dish (or 4 individual serving plates or pasta bowls) and top with chicken and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (or more to taste). Serve immediately.

Notes

Note on pesto: if you are short on time, use store bought. Just purchase the refrigerated kind if possible; the jarred stuff has little flavor (in my opinion).

Author: From "A Well-Seasoned Kitchen" by Sally Clayton and Lee Clayton Roper
Category: main dish, pasta, poultry
Method: sautéing
Cuisine: Quick and easy

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl or plateful
Calories: 613
Sugar: 6.5 g
Sodium: 531.4 mg
Fat: 25.5 g
Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
Carbohydrates: 53.1 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 41.1 g
Cholesterol: 80.8 mg