This combination of ingredients is just an example of what you can do to make pasta feel more fancy, so mix it up based on what you have in the cupboards and try new things! I love to make my pasta dishes as chunky as possible, and basically have the pasta act as a blank canvas for all the other stuff. Just look at that bowl of goodies down there! 🠋

If you’re gluten free or cutting back on carbs, then you can certainly sub your favorite brand of gluten free pasta, or you could use quinoa or lentils as a similar “base” to build onto with lots of flavor. Play with it and be proud of your concoctions. Leave a comment if you have any other great go-to pasta flavor combos!

Ingredients
1/2 box penne (or other pasta shape as preferred)
6-7 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3-4 Tbsp vegan pesto, plus more if necessary
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add penne and cook as instructed on the box, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red onion and saute 3-4 minutes or until softened and slightly browned. Add sun-dried tomatoes and kale and saute another 3-4 minutes or until kale is wilted. Lower heat to low and season with salt and pepper. Add drained pasta and vegan pesto, and mix until fully incorporated and the pesto evenly coats the pasta and vegetables (adding more pesto if necessary). Serve immediately.

Serves 2