Veggie Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts is a simple and delicious weeknight meal. It comes together quickly and includes plenty of fresh vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet basil, and toasted pine nuts. A healthy and hearty meal your family will not be able to get enough of!

Does your family love pasta as much as mine does? It is one of the few things that please everyone’s palates around here. I have a variety of pasta recipes, but this healthy veggie pasta with toasted pine nuts is definitely one of my favorites!

If you know me, you know I try to add as many fruits and veggies into my day as I possibly can which is why I love this dish. Fresh onions, sweet bell peppers, savory mushrooms, and juicy tomatoes make this a wholesome dish. No heavy sauce needed!

Tammy’s Tips For Healthy Veggie Pasta With Toasted Pine Nuts

We ditched white pasta years ago because it is stripped of its nutrients during the milling process. There are a plethora of healthier alternatives to white pasta on the market today. For this recipe, I used whole wheat penne. Whole wheat bow tie (farfalle) or chickpea penne would also be good! 

This recipe is very versatile. You could swap or add different vegetables. Broccoli and/or spinach would be delicious additions.

Serve as a hearty main dish accompanied by a side salad which is what I do, or as a side dish with grilled fish. So YUM!  

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Healthy Veggie Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 16 oz dried whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red pepper cut into strips
• 1 green pepper cut into strips
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped I like using heirloom
• 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain well.

2. In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add peppers and mushrooms and cook until peppers are crisp tender.

3. Stir in ripe tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat just to boiling. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Place drained pasta in large bowl. Toss in tomato mixture. Add sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and toss again. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is very versatile. You could swap or add different vegetables. Broccoli and/or spinach would be delicious additions.

Serve as a hearty main dish accompanied by a side salad which is what I do, or as a side dish with grilled fish. 

We recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible.