Dairy Farmers of Canada

Pesto and Fresh Tomato Fusilli

A fast dinner doesn’t get any better – or easier – than this! A few great-tasting ingredients combine into one terrific pasta dish.

  • Prep: 5 min
  • Cooking: 11 min
Yields 4 servings
pesto and fresh tomato fusilli

Ingredients

  • 12 oz (375) fusilli or other short pasta
  • 1 cup (250 mL) 10 % cream or 18 % cream or 35 % cream
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) basil pesto
  • 2 cups (500 mL) chopped fresh tomatoes or halved grape tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) black olives
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) pine nuts toasted
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly grated Canadian Parmesan cheese
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Preparation

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for about 9 min or until tender but firm, or according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup (250 ml) of the pasta cooking water.

Return pot to medium heat and add cream and pesto. Heat, stirring, for 2 min or until steaming. Return pasta to pot; add tomatoes and toss to combine, adding enough of the pasta water to moisten to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with olives, pine nuts and Canadian Parmesan cheese.

Tips

If local field tomatoes aren’t in season, often the greenhouse-grown grape tomatoes or tomatoes-on-the-vine have great flavor – even in those cold fall and winter months.

For the Adventurous: Add one 7 oz (210 ml) jar drained marinated artichoke hearts, chopped or 2 cups (500 ml) chopped grilled or roasted asparagus with the tomatoes

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Nutritional information

Per serving
Energy: 533 Calories
Protein: 18 g
Carbohydrate: 77 g
Fat: 17 g
Fibre: 4.3 g
Sodium: 229 mg

Top 5 Nutrients

(% DV*)
Calcium: 16 % / 172 mg
Folate: 109 %
Riboflavin: 33 %
Selenium: 123 %
Thiamin: 69 %