Balsamic Penne Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes
Apr 23, 2017, Updated Jun 03, 2023
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Balsamic Penne Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes – Quick, easy, and delicious pasta dish tossed with sweet tomatoes, asparagus, and an amazing balsamic sauce.
Penne With Asparagus and Tomatoes
Guys, gals, my internet pals, Happy Sunday! I hope you’re taking some time to relax and recharge those batteries. Monday will soon be here and you’ll be wishing you HAD relaxed and chilled and finished that last cookie before starting your Monday-diet. Again.
Also. Open up those windows, breathe in the fresh air, and in between all that, please hop in the kitchen ’cause girl’s gotta eat.
Personally, I think it’s time to grub on some pasta, and I couldn’t think of any better way to do it than to toss it around with a bit of buttah and balsamic. And veggies, for color.
Truth be told, all I have in the fridge are eggs and milk, and thanks to the warmer weather, my veggie bins are fuller. A craving for much simpler, delicious meals is also back and I am happy about that.
How to Make This Balsamic Pasta
Here’s what we’re going to do with this balsamic penne pasta:
We are first going to go to those veggie bins and bust out all the delicious things in there. Asparagus and cherry tomatoes will do.
We will combine those two in a skillet, and while they do their thang, we’re also going to boil up some water and throw in (gluten-free, whole-wheat completely up to you, but not a bad choice!) penne pasta.
The best part is the sauce that is about to marry all that together. A balsamic reduction meets a bit of brown sugar meets a few pats of butter. Yep, things are gonna get REAL good!
Next, garnish with some good ol’ parm, and settle yourself somewhere near the open windows. Sit right down on the floor and eat up everything inside that balsamic penne pasta bowl. ☝
ENJOY!
TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE
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Balsamic Penne Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry whole wheat penne pasta, (you can also use gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, , trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, , halved
- salt and fresh ground pepper, , to taste
- 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, , cut into a few pieces
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, , plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.
- In the meantime, heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add asparagus and cook for 3 minutes; stir in tomatoes and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
- Remove veggies from skillet and set aside.
- Place skillet over medium-low heat; pour balsamic vinegar in skillet and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup and thickened.
- Stir in the light brown sugar and remove from heat.
- Drain the pasta and return to the pot.
- Add butter and reduced balsamic vinegar to the pasta; toss until well combined.
- Add the asparagus, tomatoes, and grated parmesan; gently stir until thoroughly incorporated.
- Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
can you substitute the tomatoes with a little tomato pasta sauce? i dont like whole tomatoes in anything sadly.
Made this last night. Delicious! Added bacon for some added protein. I am on Weight Watchers (lost 25 lb since February) & appreciate the ww points info on your recipes.