Homemade Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi

Homemade Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi is the perfect copycat version made right in your own kitchen! Making pesto is probably easier than you think!
I first made this recipe in 2011 but wanted to re-make it and take some new pictures. I’m upset with myself that I took so long to make it again!

Homemade Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi

Noodles & Company is one of my favorite fast casual restaurants. I typically order this Pesto Cavatappi or the Med Salad. If you order it there, it comes with mushrooms. I always swap those out for spinach so I did the same thing here.

Julia loved helping with this one. She was great at de-stemming the basil and was thrilled to push the button the food processor.

I made a simple grilled chicken to go along with this and had a quick dinner that all of us loved.

Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi

Melissa | Persnickety Plates

Homemade Noodles & Company Pesto Cavatappi is the perfect copycat version made right in your own kitchen!

5 from 1 vote

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Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb cavatappi twists, cooked al dente
• For the pesto:
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh basil de-stemmed
• 2 Tablespoons shaved Asiago cheese
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 Tablespoon white wine
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 2 oz heavy cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons shaved Asiago cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
• 2 cups fresh spinach de-stemmed

Instructions

 

• In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta to al dente, drain, rise with cold water, then toss with olive oil & set aside.
• Make the pesto:
• In a food processor, add the fresh basil, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, 2 Tablespoons of Asiago cheese and blend until smooth. Taste, then season with salt & pepper & blend, as needed. Set aside.
• Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add in the olive oil & the garlic.
• Add butter and crushed red pepper.
• Add in the cooked noodles & stir.
• Deglaze the pan with white wine and then add the chicken stock.
• When the noodles begin to sizzle a bit, add the chopped tomatoes and spinach.
• Add in the cream.
• Toss & stir then turn off heat.
• Pour on the pesto and let the tomatoes warm and spinach wilt.
• Garnish with the remaining shaved Asiago cheese.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? Tag me!Mention @melissa_pplates or tag #persnicketyplates!

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Updated 5/25/16. Original picture from 2011:

Things you may need:
Mini Food Processor(so many pretty colors – I have red)
Corkscrew
My favorite heat safe spatulas

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Pesto Pasta with Peas & Sun Dried Tomatoes

Zucchini & Squash Galette