Pasta Fresca

I usually come home at around 8:20 on Monday evenings, and the last thing I want to do is cook dinner. Most likely, my dinner will come out of a box or the freezer and will be cooked and consumed in approximately 4 minutes.

Not yesterday, however. I'd been dreaming about Noodles & Co's Pasta Fresca all day. I had all but made up my mind to stop and get some on the way home...until I took a look at my bank account.

Being a poor college student means making sacrifices, and my Pasta Fresca was going to have to be one of them.

After some sadness and mourning, it finally hit me. I have ALL of the ingredients for Pasta Fresca right at home!

...so I made it. YUM.

Pasta Fresca
Inspired by Noodles & Co and adapted from gimme some oven

Saute Ingredients
6 oz pasta, pre-cooked (farfalle, or whatever you have available)
2 roma tomatoes, cut into chunks
1/3 red onion, large dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
handful of baby spinach leaves
Parmesean Cheese

Fresca Sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp chopped basil (or parsley, I just had basil on hand)
salt and pepper

Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside. In large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil and saute garlic for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, onions, and pasta and saute for 4-5 minutes. As soon as the pasta begins to brown, add the spinach and fresca sauce and saute for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat, and serve hot with parmesean cheese on top.

*Note, if you'd like to add any type of protein, pre cook it and then add it to the skillet when you add the tomatoes and onions.

make it. it may change your life.