30 Minute Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Brussels
30 Minute Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with brussels and sun-dried tomatoes: a Mediterranean-inspired dinner the whole family will love.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Entree, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 5
Dutch oven or stockpot
Large sauté pan
Blender or Nutribullet
- 1 lb. Brussels sprouts (sub broccoli florets)
- 12 oz. uncooked pasta of choice (I use cavatappi)
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil plus 1 to 2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato oil from the jar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt. divided
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 (4-oz.) log goat cheese
- 1 tsp. lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
Trim and slice half of the Brussels sprouts in half. Use a mandoline or knife to thinly slice or shred remaining half; set aside.
Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water prior to draining.
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add halved Brussels sprouts (reserve shredded sprouts). Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until golden-brown. Reduce heat to medium, and add 1 to 2 Tbsp. oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, along with shredded Brussels sprouts, shallots, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until veggies soften.Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Combine goat cheese, lemon zest and juice, remaining 1/2 tsp. each of salt and black pepper, and 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to a blender or Nutribullet; blend until smooth. (The sauce will be thin.)
Add drained pasta back to pot and place over medium-low heat. Add Brussels sprouts mixture and goat cheese sauce. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and begins clinging to noodles. (The sauce WILL thicken the longer you toss it with the pasta.) Stir in basil and garnish with pine nuts, if desired.
- To Make-Ahead: Halve and shred the Brussels sprouts up to 1 day ahead. Store refrigerated in an airtight container
- To Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Reheat individual portions of pasta in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds for more even heating. If the sauce dries out, add a splash of water or broth to help rehydrate the noodles.
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 670mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g