Photo of Penne with roasted tomatoes, asparagus, and leeks by WW

Penne with roasted tomatoes, asparagus, and leeks

7
Points®
Total Time
55 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy
This easy weeknight dinner recipe combines penne with deliciously roasted veggies and fruits, such as fresh asparagus, hearty leeks, and sweet cherry tomatoes. Tossing with lemon zest, lots of basil, and shredded Parmesan at the end of cooking gives the dish bright, bold flavor. You can use that trick for every pasta entrée you make from now on, since you'll find the flavors and presentation of this simple weeknight meal simply irresistible. Add some cooked diced chicken or shrimp to make it an even more substantial meal.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

4 spray(s)

Asparagus

2 pound(s)

Uncooked leeks

2 medium

Cherry tomatoes

6 cup(s)

Olive oil

2 Tbsp, extra virgin

Kosher salt

1 tsp, or to taste

Black pepper

¼ tsp

Uncooked penne pasta

8 oz

Table salt

1 pinch(es), for cooking pasta

Basil

½ cup(s), chopped

Jarred minced garlic

1 tsp

Lemon zest

1 tsp

Shredded parmesan cheese

½ cup(s), (use a high quality Parm for the best flavor)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
  2. Cut leeks lengthwise and soak in a bowl of water; rinse well to remove dirt and cut white and light green parts into1-inch pieces. Trim asparagus; cut into 1-inch pieces.
  3. Toss asparagus, leeks and tomatoes with oil, kosher salt and pepper; spread evenly on prepared baking sheets. Roast, stirring once halfway through, about 35 to 40 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package instructions; reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and then drain pasta.
  5. In a serving bowl, toss together penne, cooking water, roasted vegetables, basil, garlic, and lemon zest; garnish with Parmesan. Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving.