My goal most nights is to try and get great family meals on the table for dinner. I love for our family to have the time to sit and eat together each night. As I said, this is my goal. However, school work and after-school activities often make this difficult. This is why I am always working on creating quick weeknight meals everyone will eat.
My go-to meal when we are in a hurry is my Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe filled with veggies and whatever type of meat I have in the fridge. This could be a Polish Kielbasa sausage link or leftover rotisserie chicken.
For this recipe, I am going to make the Creamy Pesto Pasta with Polish Kielbasa links. These work well for my kids because they think they are eating hot dogs. You can substitute the sausage for chicken and it will be great too or leave the meat out for a great vegetarian meal.
Creamy Pesto Pasta for Quick Weeknight Meals
Ingredients for Creamy Pesto Pasta
- 1 12 oz box of Bow Tie Pasta (or any shape you prefer)
- 1 Polish Kielbasa (or any type of sausage link your family prefers)
- 1 jar of Basil Pesto (or make your own pesto at home)
- 1 small onion
- 1 large Zucchini or Yellow Squash (if they are small use two)
- 1 Bell pepper
- Olive Oil
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tbsp. Garlic and Herb Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- Optional – add mushrooms
How To Make My Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe
Step # 1
Start by boiling the water for the pasta. While that is going, heat up a pan for the vegetables on medium-low heat. Chop up the onions and toss them into the pan with olive oil. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
If you are adding mushrooms, toss them in with the onions. While that is cooking, chop up the yellow squash (or zucchini) and bell peppers. When onions are translucent, toss in the rest of the veggies over medium heat until they are tender but not too soft.
Step #2
When the water starts to boil, toss in your pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. While veggies continue to cook, cut up the sausage so it will be ready.
Step # 3
Once veggies are tender, sprinkle with your salt and Garlic and Herb seasoning or whatever seasonings your family would like. Take the veggies out of the pan and set them aside on a plate or bowl.
Next, add the sausage into the hot pan to cook. I like to brown them a little, so saute for maybe 5 minutes, flipping them after a few minutes. If there is too much oil, make sure to drain the sausage.
Once the sausage is cooked, turn off the heat and add the veggies back in to keep warm until pasta is done.
Step # 4
When pasta is done cooking, drain the pasta and add it back to the pot. I then add a little olive oil to the pasta and stir before adding the Pesto, about 3 or 4 spoonfuls.
Last, mix veggies and sausage with your pasta and serve warm. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Tip for Picky Eaters
If you have a picky eater, plate the pasta with just some olive oil and cheese on their plate with the sausage and veggies on the side. Then, mix the pesto into the pasta with the sausage and veggies together for the rest of the family.
This way you are not making two meals but keeping everyone happy. Remember too that this is a base for your recipe adjust it with the veggies and meat your family likes best.
Check Out More Quick Weeknight Meals
Yummy & Healthy Crockpot Italian Meatballs
25 Easy Family Dinner Ideas for Quick Weeknight Meals
10 Easy Rotisserie Chicken Recipes Your Family Will Love
Quick and Delicious Snack Recipes
25 Healthy After School Snacks
No-Bake Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Healthy No-Bake Apple Slice Cookies
Easy Pesto Pasta The Whole Family will Eat
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz box of Bow Tie Pasta (or any shape you prefer)
- 1 Polish Kielbasa (or any type of sausage link your family prefers)
- 1 jar of Basil Pesto (or make your own pesto at home)
- 1 small onion
- 1 large Zucchini or Yellow Squash (if they are small use two)
- 1 Bell pepper
- Olive Oil
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tbsp. Garlic and Herb Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- Optional – add mushrooms
Directions:
- Start boiling the water for the pasta. While that is going, heat up a pan for the veggies on medium-low. Chop up the onions and toss them into the pan with olive oil. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. If you are adding mushrooms, toss them in with the onions. While they are cooking, chop up the yellow squash (or zucchini) and bell peppers. When onions are translucent, toss in the rest of the veggies over medium heat until they are tender but not too soft.
- When the water starts to boil, toss in your pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. While veggies continue to cook, cut up the sausage so that it will be ready.
- Once veggies are tender, sprinkle with salt and Garlic, and Herb seasoning. Take the veggies out of the pan and set them aside on a plate or bowl. Now add the sausage into the hot pan to cook. I like to brown them a little, so saute for maybe 5 minutes, flipping them after a few minutes. If there is too much oil, make sure to drain the sausage. Once the sausage is cooked, turn off the heat and add the veggies back in to keep warm until pasta is done.
- When pasta is done, drain the pasta and add it back to the pot. Then add a little olive oil to the pasta. This can then be given to your picky kid. For the rest of the family, stir in three or four spoonfuls of pesto to your liking.
- Last, mix veggies and sausage with your pasta and serve warm. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Tip: Make extra and use for lunch leftovers the next day.
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