Bowtie Skillet Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

The busier we are (ranch, homeschooling, soccer, football, teenagers, teenagers, teenagers…), the more and more I find myself making super quick things for dinner. And by “super quick,” I mean either something that slow-cooks all day OR, more applicable in the back-to-school time of year, meals that take 20 minutes or less to make.

This super pretty pasta is definitely in that category! It has just a few simple ingredients and takes no time at all to throw together, and you can add strips of grilled chicken, different cheeses, and various herbs to change it up.

Here’s how to make it!

Boil some bow tie pasta, then drain it, rinse it, and set it aside while you get the other ingredients ready.

Cut some red and yellow grape tomatoes in half. I love this color combination!

Then mince up a good amount of garlic. That’s where the flavor is, baby!

Now, to make the pasta dish, grab some Land O Lakes^® Butter with Canola Oil. It’s made with real butter and always ready to scoop or spread from the refrigerator.

Get a big ol’ spoonful…

Add it to a pan over medium heat, and let it melt and heat up.

When it is nice and hot, add the garlic to the pan…

And stir it around to release all the flavor and wonderfulness. This is the basic “sauce” for the pasta, which is hardly a sauce at all. Just a nice, light coat of bliss.

Now, when the Butter with Canola Oil is bubbling away…

Toss in the cooked pasta…

And the tomatoes…

Along with some salt…

And pepper. Now…this combo is delicious enough! But…

It’s even more delicious with some shaved Parmesan!

Just shave in big pieces. You won’t regret it.

Oh! And fresh basil will definitely send it over the top. Just cut it into a chiffonade…

And sprinkle it over the whole dish.

Then just stir it around until it’s all combined. And as you can imagine, the possibilities are endless here! You could throw in crumbled feta, chopped Kalamata olives…anything goes.

Then just dish it up! So simple, so perfect—-almost too pretty to eat.

You’ll love using Butter with Canola Oil in your cooking! It adds a nice coating of flavor without having to make an elaborate, heavy sauce. (And pssst. Also try its first cousin, Spreadable Butter with Olive Oil. YUM!)

Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients

· 12 ounces bowtie pasta (farfalle)

· 1/4 cup Land O Lakes^® Butter with Canola Oil

· 1 clove garlic

· 1 cup halved red grape tomatoes

· 1 cup halved yellow grape tomatoes

· 8 large basil leaves, chiffonade or finely chopped

· 3 ounces Parmesan cheese

· ½ teaspoon salt

· ½ teaspoon black pepper

· More basil and Parmesan, for garnish

Directions

In a large saucepan, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Return the saucepan to the stove over medium heat. Add the Land O Lakes^® Butter with Canola Oil and allow it to melt. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute to infuse flavor.

Add the cooked pasta, tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper to the pan. Toss to combine. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan into the pan. Give it a final toss, then serve immediately with extra Parmesan shavings and basil leaves on top.