Spring Asparagus and Tomato Penne with Barilla ProteinPLUS (Edit recipe)

I stumbled upon Barilla ProteinPLUS pasta at my local Walmart. It's packed with 17 g of protein (per 3.5 oz portion) from all natural vegetarian ingredients including egg whites, grains, lentils, and chickpeas. It's also a great source of fiber and ALA Omega-3. It seemed like the perfect base for a quick, easy, and delicious meal any day of the week, so I ended up picking up the penne to give it a try. I thought it would pair perfectly with some bright spring veggies like asparagus and tomatoes to make a light and fresh pasta (or pasta salad) dish while still being a good source of lean protein. I added in some lemon juice, pine nuts, basil, and a few other ingredients to bring that extra flavor, and it all came together to make a great meal or side that'd be perfect for your next picnic!
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Show nutritional information
This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:1971
Fat:54 g
Carbohydrates:100 g
Protein:251 g
Cholesterol:1 g
Sodium:4230 mg
Fiber:27 g
Sugars:9 g
Calculated per 4 as a meal or 7 as an appetizer.

Yield: 4 as a meal or 7 as an appetizer

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Ingredients

Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
  1. Cook the Barilla ProteinPLUS Penne according to the directions on the box.
  2. Remove the bottoms from the asparagus, and bake them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (may also grill or steam until tender instead).
  3. Cut the asparagus spears into thirds.
  4. Toast the pine nuts on the stove top until they begin to turn golden (about 3- 5 minutes).
  5. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients until well blended. I reserved some of the pine nuts, basil, and parmesan to top it all off, but feel free to mix it all in if desired.
  6. Serve warm or refrigerate to serve as a pasta salad, and enjoy!

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