Creamy Pesto Veggie Skillet

We’ll admit that this isn’t the prettiest dinner you’re ever going to eat, but what it lacks in looks it makes up for in flavor and convenience. It’s one of those under 30-minute meals that you can turn to whenever you’re in a pinch, with whatever you happen to have on hand. Here we’ve used carrots, mushrooms, and onions, but there are so many combinations of veggies that are absolutely scrumptious when they’re folded in this creamy pesto sauce. (Maybe that has to do with the scrumptiousness of the creamy pesto sauce. It makes most anything taste good.)
The basic method here is to sauté the veg in a large skillet until everything is just fork tender, and then you fold in some prepared pesto and cream and let it simmer down until it condenses into a dream of a sauce. It’s a spoon-licking kind of sauce. The brightness of the basil in the pesto is carried by the cream and it complements pretty much anything it covers.
Summer squash and sundried tomatoes would work well here. So would sausage and asparagus. It’s a great “clean-out-the-fridge” type of meal, and we love that kind of versatility. You can serve it over noodles or even mashed potatoes… you can top it with a little bit of parmesan cheese or none at all, and it’ll still taste great. It’s an adaptable workhouse weeknight dinner that you can always turn to. And you can never have too many of those in your back pocket!
 

Creamy Pesto Veggie Skillet
20 minutes to prepare serves 2-4
INGREDIENTS
1 jar (8 oz) pesto sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
8 oz small mushrooms
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add onions and carrots and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until all veggies are fork tender, 3-4 more minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
Stir in pesto sauce and cream, and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Top with additional parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!