Creamy Pesto Penne with Peppers and Onions
Penne tossed in a silky sauce of basil pesto, cream, and pasta water with sauteed bell pepper and red onion.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz penne pasta (about 300 g) cooked al dente
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 6 tbsp basil pesto
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt plus more for the pasta water
- ½ tsp black pepper
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- grated Parmesan cheese for topping, optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Boil the penne in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the bell pepper and red onion about 5 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the pesto and cook about 1 minute.
- Whisk the flour into the cream, add it to the pot with the pasta water, and stir over a gentle simmer until smooth and slightly thickened. Do not boil hard.
- Stir in the garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add the penne and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan and serve immediately.
Notes
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so the cream does not separate. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat within about 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of cream or pasta water. Nutrition is an estimate.