Parsley Pasta with Parmesan recipe that takes 15 minutes to make and costs less than $4. Your entire family will like this fresh pasta dinner meal.
What can you cook with parsley?
The answer to the question “What the heck do I make with a bunch of parsley” I was asking myself while standing in the kitchen is this recipe!
You’ve been there. You buy fresh parsley because you need 1 tablespoon for a recipe and then the rest sits in the refrigerator. Well I’m here to help you out! First, freeze some pesto cubes, and then make this Parmesan Parsley Pasta!
Cheap Meal Under $5
This delicious parsley pasta meal is super budget friendly because it costs less than $4.00 total to make. It’s also a simple recipe for weeknights because it’s quick to make and throw on the table.
For this recipe you will need these simple ingredients:
- 16 ounce box of rotini pasta
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Tip!
#1: Have too much parsley? Here’s how to dry parsley in the microwave.
#2: Not a fan of parsley? You can easily swap out the parsley for basil if you prefer!
How to Make Parsley Pasta with Parmesan:
Boil your pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and place back into pot until we’re ready for it.
Grab your bunch of beautiful parsley. If you’re like me, you hate when food goes to waste, so it’s recipes like this that get me excited to clean out my refrigerator!
You will be using most of the parsley (stems and leaves!) but you’ll want to cut off about 2 inches from the bottom so the recipe isn’t bitter tasting. More stems = more bitter, so lose 2 inches from the bottom. Keep the top section!
Place parsley in food processor, along with broth, olive oil and lemon juice. Pulse until a creamy sauce has been made.
Pour parsley sauce and parmesan cheese into the pot with the pasta.
Mix to fully coat, adding salt and black pepper to taste. Once combined, serve and eat up!
Can I make this with spaghetti?
Absolutely! The recipe calls for rotini, but you can easily use another pasta such as spaghetti, ziti, rigatoni, farfalle, etc. Choose your favorite pasta!
Want to add some protein?
We prefer the recipe as is, but it’s easy to add in some meat if you prefer. Add in sautéed shrimp, shredded chicken or sweet Italian sausage into the pot.
It also makes a great side dish next to pork chops or rotisserie chicken!
I hope you love this budget friendly easy recipe!
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Parsley Pasta with Parmesan
PrintIngredients
- 1 16 oz box rotini pasta
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to box. Drain, put pasta back into the pot and set aside.
- Cut the bottom of the stems off the parsley, about 2 inches from the bottom (too much parsley stems and it will taste too bitter) and discard. Keep the top portion of parsley and place in a food processor.
- Add broth, olive oil and lemon juice to food processor and pulse until creamy.
- Pour parsley sauce on top of hot pasta. Add Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of salt and pepper for taste. Stir until cheese is melted and pasta is coated in the parsley sauce.
- Serve on plates and enjoy!
Lisa Noble says
I made this because I had those ingredients in my house, and need a quick side dish. Everyone loved it! I chose to serve it cold like a pasta salad. I made it exactly then added my own modifications. I also adding crumbled feta, a handful fresh chopped parsley, and a little extra olive oil. This is a foundation dish that you can really build on. LOVED IT.