Easy, Fresh Dinner: Herbed Penne with Grilled Vegetables

One of our favorite quick and easy dinners right now is Herbed Penne with Grilled Vegetables.  It is not the most ground-breaking of recipes but after a long day at work or a long Sunday of being out and about it is quite wonderful.  Besides being quick and easy, it is pretty healthy, economical, and can be very seasonal... and I am loving anything loaded with fresh basil these days.

It is a great recipe to make together as there are quite a few tasks to be done where you won't step on each other toes, this is important when you have a small kitchen to work in!  We like to have one of us start chopping the veggies and herbs while the other is pulling out all the ingredients and such, then while one is grilling the other is cooking the pasta, and finally while one is tossing everything together the other is cutting up the chicken.  Cooking together can be really nice way to transition into couple time and doing something active and engaging together after a day at the office.




I also love how this recipe can be a nice foundation and you can play with different veggies or herbs depending on the season. The fresh basil smells incredible and for me is a key part of the recipe. We have tried others, such as thyme, and they just didn't quite have the same effect as basil.

Recipe for Herbed Penne with Simple Grilled Vegetables
Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
Seasonal vegetables (summer squash, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, asparagus, etc), cut into 3/4” pieces
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Dry Italian spice mix, to taste
4 cups hot cooked penne
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil + an additional 3 Tablespoons
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano cheese
1 grilled chicken breast, cut into small bite size pieces (optional)

Combine cut veggies in a grill basket or in aluminum foil; brush with 1 Tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with about 3 Tbsp fresh basil and a little dry Italian Seasoning spice mix. Grill about 15 minutes on a medium heat. If using left over grilled veggies, reheat in a skillet over medium heat. After removing from grill (or burner), sprinkle with half of the black pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Combined cooked, hot pasta, parsley, 1/4 cup basil, remaining 1 Tbsp of oil, remaining salt and black pepper, and the grated Romano cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Add in grilled veggies and chicken breast; toss to mix. After adding to plate sprinkle with shaved parmigiano cheese.

Enjoy!