Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Pesto Pasta with Toasted Pine Nuts

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Al dente pasta tossed in a vibrant sun-dried tomato and spinach pesto, topped with crunchy toasted pine nuts for a satisfying vegetarian meal. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 22 minutes, pairs penne pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh spinach for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 12 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 480 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Food processors worth buying for dips like this → Best Food Processors in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz penne pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
  2. Step 2: While pasta cooks, toast 1/4 cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning; set aside.
  3. Step 3: In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 2 cups fresh spinach, 3 garlic cloves, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  4. Step 4: Toss the drained pasta with the pesto sauce, adding reserved pasta water 2 tbsp at a time to loosen the sauce until it coats the pasta evenly.
  5. Step 5: Serve topped with the toasted pine nuts for a crunchy contrast and an extra burst of flavor.

Related recipes