I depend on simple gluten free meal recipes to keep everyone fed throughout the week. There are still basil leftovers in our garden, so we have been enjoying this Gluten Free Basil Pesto Pasta (BONUS: it's also Dairy Free). You will find that this meal is fresh, filling, and easy to through together on a busy weeknight.
The thing that makes this recipe a little more special than just any other pasta dish, is the homemade Basil Pesto Sauce. Its creamy, fresh, and has a little zest that we all love.
INGREDIENTS
Pasta: If I can be picky, I really love the Jovial brand gluten free pasta. I have seen it at Walmart. But, typically we have the Live G Free brand on hand from Aldi, and no one complains!
Basil Pesto Sauce: If you are in a pinch, I recommend the Basil Pesto from Costco. It is very good! However, I HIGHLY recommend making your own, if you can! It's so fresh and easy to make.
Broccoli: At the last minute I added in some steamed broccoli for a veggie.
Protein: You could certainly skip the protein, but we love meat in our home. Sausage is my favorite with this recipe because its so easy to grab from the freezer, thaw, and cook on the stove.
If you plan ahead, you can also make some shredded chicken in the slow cooker or Insta Pot. I cover the chicken with chicken broth, cook according to the settings, and then shred it! Easy!
Cheese: We typically use Manchego cheese (made from sheep's milk) to shred on top of dishes like this. Parmesan would be perfect too. Skip the cheese completely if you are trying to make this meal dairy free.
Bread: I skip the bread since I am gluten free, but my family enjoys our sour dough bread if there is a loaf on hand.
TOOLS YOU MAY NEED
paper towel
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HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE BASIL PESTO PASTA
Cook your pasta according to the package directions. This is the Live G Free brand we often use from Aldi. While the pasta is cooking, make your basil pesto sauce by combing the ingredients in a blender.
Prep and cook your meat. We used pork sausage, and it was really easy to cut up and cook on the cast iron skillet.
Put it all together! Add the meat and basil pesto sauce to the pasta, and add some steamed broccoli to the side. For the finishing touches, grate some cheese over the pasta and serve with bread.
