59min prep: 14min cook: 45min
- Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti
- Roasted Asparagus
- Arugula, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad
Simple, fresh ingredients make a well-balanced meal that is perfect for busy weeknights.Notes:
- Thin asparagus is more tender than the thicker stalks. If your asparagus is thick, try peeling off the outer layer with a vegetable peeler before cooking.
- Balsamic syrup is my go-to, quick dinner solution. It adds a ton of flavor to all kinds of dishes without a ton of work or fat!
Ingredients
Produce
- Asparagus — 1 Pound
- Baby Arugula — 5 Ounces
- Cherry Tomatoes — 5 Cups
- Fresh Basil — 1⁄2 Cup
- Garlic — 2 Cloves
- Onions — 2 Tablespoons
Cheese & Lunchmeat
- Goat Cheese — 4 Ounces
- Parmesan Cheese, Grated, Optional — 1⁄4 Cup
Dry Goods & Packaged Goods
- Pine Nuts — 1⁄3 Cup
- Spaghetti — 1 Pound
Canned Goods, Soups & Mixes
- Kalamata Olives, Pitted — 1 Cup
- Tomato Sauce, Canned — 8 Ounces
Spice & Baking
- Black Pepper
- Crushed Red Pepper — 1⁄4 Teaspoon
- Dried Thyme Leaves — 1 Teaspoon
- Kosher Salt
Condiments, Oils & Dressings
- Balsamic Syrup — 3 Tablespoons
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 5 Tablespoons
Equipment
Appliances
- Oven
- Stove Top — 3
Cooking Equipment
- Can Opener
- Chef’s Knife
- Colander
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Bowl, Large
- Pot, Large (4-6 QT)
- Saute Pan, Large (12″ or Larger)
- Saute Pan, Small (8″-9″)
- Sheet Pan
Prep Steps
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Smash the garlic under the side of your chef’s knife to remove the peel. Mince the garlic.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Cut an onion into 1/4 inch dice to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Pick basil leaves off the stems. Pile leaves on top of each other and slice crosswise into thin ribbons to measure the indicated amount.
- [ Roasted Asparagus ] Snap or cut the bottom end off each asparagus spear. Discard the ends. Place the spears on a sheet pan.
- [ Arugula, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad ] Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Cook Steps
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Fill a large pot 2/3 high with water and cover. Place over high heat. Proceed with next step as water comes to a boil.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and warm.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Once oil is warm, add the onions. Saute until softened and translucent. Do not brown.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Add the cherry tomatoes, dried thyme, crushed red pepper and chopped garlic to the onions. Crush the thyme between your fingertips as you add it to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes start to burst and juices are released, about 8-10 minutes. Stir often.
- [ Roasted Asparagus ] Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Once water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir in the spaghetti. Cook until tender but with a slight bite, about [9-11 minutes], or according to the package instructions.
- [ Roasted Asparagus ] Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Use clean hands to coat evenly.
- [ Roasted Asparagus ] Place the asparagus in the preheated oven. Cook the asparagus until slightly tender, about [7-8 minutes]. After that, flip the spears and finish roasting until tender and fragrant, but still with a slight crunch, another 3-5 minutes.
- [ Arugula, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad ] Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Once pan is warm, add the pine nuts and toast until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Keep a close watch and shake pan often to prevent burning. Transfer to small dish to cool.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Once tomatoes have burst, stir in the tomato sauce, chopped basil and kalamata olives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat until the spaghetti has been strained.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Once you strain the spaghetti, transfer it to the saute pan with the burst cherry tomatoes. Place the pan back over medium heat and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- [ Arugula, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad ] Add the arugula to the bowl of tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic syrup and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- [ Arugula, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad ] Add the pine nuts and gently fold in the goat cheese.
- [ Quick Tomato and Kalamata Olive Sauce with Spaghetti ] Transfer the tomato and kalamata olive sauce with spaghetti to a serving bowl or dinner plates. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the top if desired. Serve warm!
- [ Arugula, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad ] Transfer the arugula, goat cheese and pine nut salad to a serving bowl or dinner plates. Ready to eat!
- [ Roasted Asparagus ] Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving dish or dinner plates. Serve warm!