Nutritious Penne Pasta Recipe With Creamy Walnut Sauce (4 Ingredients, 15 Minutes) Pasta Dinner Budget Italian Vegetarian Low Sodium

We love walnuts! We don't think the health benefits of walnuts are talked about enough. Seriously! Walnuts are high in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. They may also help with:

• inflammation
• gut health
• reducing the risk of some cancers
• weight control
• helping manage or lower risk of diabetes
• healthy aging
• blood pressure
• brain function

These crunchy little nuggets are not only nutritious and healthy, but the perfect snack or addition to recipes. This four-ingredient penne pasta recipe with creamy walnut sauce is the perfect example of different ways to use walnuts.

Penne pasta (or your favorite pasta) is cooked to al dente, then combined with heavy cream, shredded Italian cheese and walnuts. Once everything is melted together and thoroughly combined, the pasta is ready to be served. This tasty Italian recipe is on the table in about 15 minutes!

Whole-wheat pasta would be a great choice for this pasta recipe. Serve this creamy pasta with a salad and fresh roasted or steamed vegetable. The leftovers reheat well for lunch or dinner the next day.

Cuisine: Italian 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 ounces) penne pasta, cooked to al dente according to package directions
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Recipe Notes

• Whole-wheat pasta works very well in this recipe, but use your favorite. For a gluten-free meal, use gluten-free pasta.

• If you don't have an Italian cheese blend, you can use mozzarella, Parmesan or your favorite melting cheese.

• For some spice, add some crushed red pepper flakes.

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave.

Here's how to make it: 

1. In a large skillet, stir together the heavy cream, shredded cheese and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the cooked pasta and cook over low heat until cheese has melted and everything is thoroughly combined. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. 

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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