Pesto Cavatappi (Noodles & Company Copycat)
There’s so much to love about springy pasta, creamy pesto sauce, and bright diced tomatoes, so it’s no wonder Pesto Cavatappi is Noodles and Company’s most popular dish. Here’s the perfected copycat recipe that’s faster, less expensive, and maybe even just a little more delicious.
Servings 8 servings (1 cup each)
Calories 423kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta or other small pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large tomato cored and diced
- 4 ounces white button mushrooms trimmed and sliced (optional)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup pesto (see note 4)
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or stock pot, bring 4 quarts of water and salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tomatoes and mushrooms (if using) and cook for about 5 minutes, until some of the liquid has been released and the tomatoes are heated through.
- Stir in the broth, wine, and cream and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Add pesto and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta and toss until uniformly coated in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish or individual plates and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- White wine: Choose a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. Or, leave the wine out and substitute more chicken broth.
- Pesto: To make it yourself, In a food processor or blender, add 2 c. fresh basil, 1 c. fresh parsley, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, 1/4 c. walnuts or pine nuts, and 3 cloves garlic. Pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 c. olive oil and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 8 cups of pasta, enough for 8 first-course or side dish servings or 4 extremely generous bowls of pasta.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 1397mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1022IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 1mg