Pappardelle smothered in Lemony Swiss Chard Pesto with Pecorino and Pine Nuts is a new twist on an old favorite!
Question: What (seemingly) little things can put you in a good mood at the drop of a hat? I’d love to know!
For me, oh gosh, let’s see…it could be as simple as a delicious cup of coffee in a nice sturdy mug that fits my hand perfectly or when somebody else makes me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (always tastes better, right?), or, I know, a crackling fire under a starry sky. Oooooh – a leisurely stroll through a bookstore…an easy jog on a crisp sunny morning. I’d love to keep going but I’m sure you have other things to get to (ha!)…
I could do this all day.
You want to know what puts my guy in a good mood? Pasta. Probably second only to pizza. (If you follow along, you already knew that. 😉 )
So when Dom went poking in the fridge the other day looking for orange juice he saw the pappardelle with pesto sitting there, and – his. day. was. made.
I’ve made pesto with basil. I’ve made pesto with parsley. I’ve made pesto with chili peppers. And now, pesto with Swiss chard.
This lemony Swiss chard pesto with Pecorino and pine nuts is a nice alternative to the others. Though basil pesto owns my heart and parsley comes in a close second, Swiss chard pesto can absolutely run with the big dogs.
Its flavor is milder but makes for a hearty sauce that’s a bit unusual. It’s cheesy and garlicky and has a nice kick. Let’s face it – we could put cheese and garlic on plywood and it’ll taste good. So, you know it’s a winner.
I know what you’re thinking…this is a perfect meal for Meatless Monday…
And you know what?
You’d be right!
Buon Appetito!
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Pappardelle with Lemony Swiss Chard Pesto with Pecorino & Pine Nuts
- Category: Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. Swiss chard, stems removed
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Big pinch of red pepper flakes, plus more for seasoning
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. pappardelle
Instructions
- Bring two large pots of salted water to a boil.
- Prepare an ice bath with a colander.
- Blanch the Swiss chard in one pot of the boiling water, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer immediately to the ice water.
- Drain by squeezing the leaves in a ball in a clean kitchen cloth.
- Put the cooked chard, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, lemon zest and juice, and red pepper flakes into the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until the mixture begins to break down and come together.
- Add enough olive oil to just get it to come together.
- Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In the meantime, add the pappardelle to the other pot of boiling water.
- Cook until al dente.
- Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.
- Return pasta to the pot and add pesto, stirring constantly for about a minute.
- Add pasta liquid if it seems dry.
- Spoon the pasta into bowls, top with additional cheese and red pepper flakes.
CIAO!
This is a refreshing rendition of pesto. I searched for chard pesto recipes and most of them called for raw chard. I like the extra step of blanching and shocking the chard because it made the texture of the final dish creamy and preserved the color. The lemon brightens the flavor, and the extra step of toasting the pine nuts is a must. When making pesto, I always use a food processor for all of the ingredients except the cheese where it is worth the extra step of blending it in with a spatula. I had roasted garlic on hand so I used it instead of raw and it worked beautifully.
So happy you enjoyed the dish! And for stopping by with a kind word! Thank you!
I started commenting on your most recent post and got carried away down the list of fabulous pasta dishes and couldn’t get past this one. So, I’m a little late to the party, but love the idea of swiss chard as a change from basil – although I’ll never give that up totally. I love it too much. Thanks for this.
Better late than never! So happy you like this! Oh no – we can never give up our basil but every one in a while a change is nice. Thank you, my friend!! 🙂
Pasta definitely puts me in a good mood! Love the gorgeous pesto this is tossed in – need to make this for dinner ASAP!
It’s a sure bet!! Thank you, my friend!!
Little thing that keeps me happy at the drop of a hat is hearing any song from the Sound of Music and eating popcorn. If someone makes me homemade popcorn, I am in love! Yep, I am that nerd. This looks beautiful. Oh my cheesy and garlicy with a bit of a kick! I am so in on this recipe.
I guess I’m that nerd, too! 😉 Thanks so much, my friend! 🙂
Plywood? Really? Get out! I ‘ll try it! Well, maybe I’ll stick with pappardelle. GREG
Yes! Plywood! I imagine anyway…. Ahhh, let’s just stick with the pappardelle! 🙂
Pasta is the best comfort food ever! Pasta and pesto always gets me in a good mood…and a big charcuterie tray but that’s not very Meatless Monday friendly 😉 heeheeheee
Hahaha! Do you watch Modern Family? If yes, do you remember the scene where Jay was shocked to learn what charcuterie really is! So funny! But I am with you 100%! Thanks, friend!
hmm I think for me it’s a hot cup of chai in the morning! it makes me happy instantly! The pasta looks beautiful Annie! 🙂 pesto is my favorite!
Mmmmm – that sounds good! Chai in the morning! Thank you, my friend!
Little things that put me in a good mood, Annie are the same as you… simple, right? I love those things too as I love this pappardelle recipe! I’ve not had it in so long, so you’ve got me craving it now. I absolutely love Swiss Chard and as it’s a sturdy green that’s available almost year round from the farm. And I like how you cook it a bit to make it a little less chewy.. Delicious work my dear! xo
We can always rely on Swiss chard and pasta to be around! That’s a comfort in itself! Thank you, Traci! xo
We are a pasta loving family. I so love a nice plate full of delicious pasta. Swiss chard pesto sounds wonderful. Maybe I’ll make this for dinner soon. 🙂
A nice plate full of pasta is a beautiful thing! Thank you, Anu!
Puppies! The little fat roly poly clumsy babies always make me smile. I’m sure this pasta would also make me very happy. I’ve never had pesto made with swiss chard before, but it sounds absolutely delicious!
Of course puppies! Oh my – do you follow any of the puppy pages on Instagram? Too cute!! Thanks, Rachelle!
That pasta looks so beautiful. It sounds like the perfect comforting fall meal for any night of the week! I’ll be over soon!
Thank you, Karen!! I’ll set the table!! 🙂
My whole family loves pasta ! And you make the best pasta Annie! I’ve tried some of your recipes so far and can’t wait to try this one!
Thank you, dear! What would we do without our pasta? 🙂
Pasta and Pizza make me pretty happy, too. As well as chocolate, my husband, and a sunny day. Not in this order 😉 . This pappardelle looks so good, perfect for meatless Monday but also for any other day. Like the idea of the Swiss chard pesto, we made it with spinach and it was delicious, so I’m sure I’d like to try it 🙂 .
I love all the ‘happiness’ pouring into my blog today! Spinach pesto? I say YES! Thanks, Nicoletta!
Yum, Annie – I love everything about this. Pesto is my go to easy sauce – I love that you can make it out of anything. I haven’t tried Swiss Chard – so thanks for the inspirations. I’m growing Swiss Chard so will definitely be trying this. Pasta is my all time comfort food – Love it!
The thing about pasta is there’s always a box in the pantry…am I right?! And pesto is so versatile! That’s a formula for happiness! Thank you, friend!
I would say that snuggling with my daughter, coffee and baking puts me in a good mood ?! This dish could put me in a good mood, I absolutely love the addition of lemon! Absolutely lovely! Take care!
Oh! Snuggles are the best!! Thank you, my friend!! 🙂
Annie! another great looking dish!! you are killing it this season my dear!! yummy
Awhhh! Thank you, Gaila! 🙂
I big bowl of this pasta would instantly put me in a good mood too Annie! It sounds delicious! Perfect for Meatless Monday and for dessert I’ll take a piece of the orange chocolate bundt cake please! Happy Monday!
As a matter of fact, a big bowl of this did put me in a good mood! 🙂 We can never have enough Meatless Monday recipes! Thanks, my friend!!
Hmmm little things that put me in a good mood.. I’d say everything you listed, plus when I get my way. Lol!! Kidding.. kind of. 😉 Slobbery kisses from my pup, my husband coming home from work, and good food. Always good food! My husband sounds like yours – pizza and pasta! This pasta specifically would put me in a good mood!! So much flavor and texture going on here, Annie!! Love that unique pesto!!! Pasta perfection! Cheers, friend!
Hahah! You crack me up, Chey! I adore everything you’ve listed, also! It’s great to stop and think for a moment about the little things that really do make us happy! Thank you, sweets! Cheers!
All of those things put me in a good mood, especially food related stuff 😉 And when anyone else cooks for me? All the better! I particularly love hubby’s Bolognese sauce. It’s delicious!! I had to laugh when I read ‘we could put cheese and garlic on plywood and it’ll taste good’ You know what, though? Totally true! You’ve got a real winner here, Annie. Love the wide pappardelle pasta and that swiss chard pesto. I would love a big bowl of that in front of me right now and it would be devoured in seconds. Happy Monday, my friend! xoxo
Nothing better than someone cooking for us! Even something as simple as a sandwich – the thought is wonderful! A big bowl of this is a must!! So so good! Thank you, dear! Have a happy day! xoxo
I would have to say that the same things that put you in a good mood put ME in a good mood too! A hot cup of coffee every morning makes me smile, a hot cup of tea at night, cozying up around my fireplace, pizza, the crisp weather with the leaves changing, snuggling up with a good book….I could go on, too! Oh, and pasta! Especially this gorgeous version! I love the chard and pesto in here, Annie! Sounds so delicious and comforting for the season!
Isn’t it wonderful to know that the smallest things can make us happy…especially when we can begin and end our day with them! Thanks, my friend!