Penne Pasta with Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto and Sea Scallops
Penne Pasta with Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto and Sea Scallops is the perfect dish for a weeknight. Why? It is quick and easy to make. Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Pesto is filling. The best part is that the leftovers are amazing the next day in the office microwave. One may to make this dish even faster, is to prepare the pesto on the weekend as part of your meal prep plan. While the pesto only takes ten minutes, it is ten more minutes you can enjoy with your family.
Sundried Tomato Pesto
While this Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto is yummy on pesto, it has several perfect uses. Pesto keeps for a week in the refrigerator. I make a full recipe. It is incredible on wraps with cannoli beans and arugula. I also love it on a creamy bed of polenta instead of pasta. It makes a delicious dip with pita or crackers. Coating the pesto on chicken before roasting will yield a uniquely flavorful and moist dinner. When you make Penne Pasta with Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto and Sea Scallops, you are opening the door to several other delicious and healthy dishes. The ingredients are popular ingredients to find in a Mediterranean Diet pantry and (because I am lucky) in my husband’s herb garden.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat penne pasta
- Sea Scallops
- Sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
- Artichoke hearts, marinated
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh basil
- Cashews
- Red pepper flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil
Making this a Vegan Dish
Whole Wheat Penne pasta with sundried tomato and sea scallops is easy to veganize. The sundried tomato artichoke pesto is already vegan. Whole wheat pasta is also vegan. So what to do with the scallops? Sure you could simply leave them off, but I have a better suggestion to veganize this dish. Substitute the scallops with King Oyster mushrooms. Yummy. Add the same dry rub and pan sear them olive oil, exactly as you would the sea scallops. Delicious.
Follow Olive Sunshine on Pinterest
Ingredients
Dry Rub for Scallops
Instructions
If making the pesto, make it prior to beginning.
Add the pasta to rapidly boiling water that has been salted. Cook according to the directions on the package.
While the pasta is boiling, pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the sea salt on them.
Mix the Aleppo and black peppers with the basil. Place on a small plate. Coat the top and the bottom of the scallops in the dry rub.
Using one teaspoon of the extra virgin olive oil coat a heavy bottomed skillet (I used cast iron). Heat it to medium high. Once the oil sizzles when water hits it, add the scallops being sure they are not touching. Pan sear until dark and golden, 2-3 minutes on each side. Turn off and remove from heat.
At this time the pasta should be cooked, just past al dente. Carefully reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pan and drizzle with one (1) teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Add one (1) ounce of the hot pasta water to the sundried tomato pesto and add it to the pasta mixing it well. If the pasta appears dry, continue to add the water, a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
Setting out four plates, divide the pasta evenly. Drizzle the remaining teaspoon on each plate and top with the scallops. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Per Serving
Recipe analyzed by 
Olive Sunshine’s Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto recipe.
