About the time I moved to Kansas City about five years ago, another new restaurant chain also happened to be moving in down the street – Noodles & Co! I admit, I was initially a little skeptical of the idea of so many pasta dishes being stir-fried in a matter of minutes. But when a “free noodles” coupon showed up in my mailbox during their opening week, I was all for giving it a try.
Five years ago, my first meal there was “pasta fresca”. And five years later, it’s still my fav. :)
It really is a breeze to make — just simple pasta, stir-fried with fresh spinach, red onions, garlic and tomatoes. Then it’s tossed with a light herb and balsamic vinaigrette, and (as they say) “sauteed to perfection”. That’s right – sauteed. Not the way I typically make pasta, but I actually love the extra flavor and texture the method lends to the dish.
So here’s my take on this yummy “pasta fresca”! I think it’s nearly identical to the original, but see what you think. ;) Also, feel free to sub in whatever meats, seafood, or tofu you would like instead of shrimp. Enjoy!!
Pasta Fresca
Ingredients
Saute Ingredients:
- 12 oz. pasta (I’d recommend mostaccoli or farfalle)
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic (either fresh or roasted), minced
- 3-4 roma tomatoes, diced
- half a red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb. cooked shrimp (or cooked chicken, beef, seafood, tofu, etc.) **See Note Below**
- 1 oz. baby fresh spinach
- freshly grated parmesan
Herb & Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. white wine
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients (olive oil, balsamic, white wine, parsley and salt) until well-blended.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously-salted water to a boil, and cook pasta al dente (just slightly chewy) according to package instructions. Drain.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and saute for one minute. Then add in the tomatoes, onion, cooked pasta and your protein (shrimp, meat, etc.) and continue sauteing for 5 minutes until the pasta just slightly begins to brown.
- Then add in the spinach and vinaigrette, and continue stirring and sauteing for another 3-5 minutes, until the spinach begins to wilt.
- Remove from heat and serve, garnished with Parmesan or feta cheese.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Ali’s Tip:
If you’re beginning with raw shrimp (like I did), just cook them in the skillet first (with the garlic) before adding in the veggies and pasta.
Delicious and true to form!
Yum yum yum. My kids were crushed when we moved to a new community which had no Noodles and Co. We just made this and they give it a huge thumbs up! Great recipe, easy to follow.