Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Asparagus, and Leeks

PersonalPoints™ per serving

Total Time: 55 min

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 40 min

Serves: 6

Easy

This easy weeknight dinner recipe combines penne with deliciously roasted veggies and fruits, such as fresh asparagus, hearty leeks, and sweet cherry tomatoes. Tossing with lemon zest, lots of basil, and shredded Parmesan at the end of cooking gives the dish a bright, bold flavor. You can use that trick for every pasta entrée you make from now on, since you'll find the flavors and presentation of this simple weeknight meal simply irresistible. Add some cooked diced chicken or shrimp to make it an even more substantial meal.

Ingredients

4 sprays cooking spray
2 lbs uncooked asparagus
2 medium uncooked leeks
6 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
8 oz uncooked penne
1 pinch table salt, for cooking pasta
½ cup basil, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp lemon zest
½ cup Shredded parmesan cheese, (use a high-quality Parm for the best flavor)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Cut leeks lengthwise and soak in a bowl of water; rinse well to remove dirt and cut white and light green parts into1-inch pieces. Trim asparagus; cut into 1-inch pieces.
Toss asparagus, leeks, and tomatoes with oil, kosher salt, and pepper; spread evenly on prepared baking sheets. Roast, stirring once halfway through, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package instructions; reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and then drain pasta.
In a serving bowl, toss together penne, cooking water, roasted vegetables, basil, garlic, and lemon zest; garnish with Parmesan.
Serving Size: Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving of Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Asparagus, and Leeks. Enjoy!