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{This post is sponsored by Smithfield! I’ve used their Garlic and Herb Marinated Fresh Pork Tenderloin in this cozy pasta dinner!}
Let’s do a nice little Sunday dinner today.
And a kind of cozy one too! Because here in Colorado it is still very much winter. We are currently getting pounded with snow. Like so much snow, we probably got close to two feet in just one hour on Friday and there is supposed to be another two feet on its way. It almost brought me to tears on Friday, but then a lot of things almost brought me to tears on Friday. It was that kind of a day. BUT, today is Sunday and we are making pasta!! Pasta is a definite pic-me-up!
I feel like I’ve mentioned this before, but Sunday night dinners, no matter what time of the year, are always my favorite meal of the week. When we were kids Sunday was the one night of the week the whole family would actually be at the table at the same time. It was madness, but I still loved them. This 30 Minute Garlic Butter Pasta with Herbed Pork Bolognese is my ideal pick for a Sunday night dinner. It’s a good mix of cozy and fresh, and it’s super quick to cook up and simple to make. Just start off by browning some marinated garlic pork. I used Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork Sirloin to help make this dinner fast and easy! I love having these cuts of meat on hand for quick dinners, they can be a real life saver on busy nights when you need to get dinner on the table ASAP, but don’t want to compromise on flavor and wholesome ingredients.
Alright, so once you brown the pork, add some fresh spring tomatoes (I used heirlooms!), a little red wine and loads of basil…oh and a little cream!! Let that simmer while you make the garlic butter pasta, complete with yes – lots of garlic, plus butter and herbs too!
Nothing better. 🙂
Finish the dish off with a healthy side of parmesan kale.
Done and DONE.
Think of this pasta as similar to Chicken Parmesan Bolognese, but made with lean, herbed, garlic flavored pork. It’s kind of EPIC and something your whole family will LOVE. Okay, so maybe not everyone will be into the kale, but they will for sure love this Pasta Pork Bolognese! 🙂
Hope you all have a great Sunday filled with fun activities, sunshine and like ZERO snow! Ugh. the snow. I’m going to go eat all the pineapples I have left and pretend I am on a beach. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts…
30 Minute Garlic Butter Pasta with Herbed Pork.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 570 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Pork
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ounce package [Smithfield Garlic and Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin | http://www.smithfield.com/products/marinated-pork/garlic-herb-marinated-fresh-pork-tenderloin/] cut into think strips or cubes, 16.4
- 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes halved*
- 1 heirloom or regular tomato finely chopped*
- 1/3 cup red wine may sub in chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavvy cream
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt + pepper to taste
- 1 cup fresh basil chopped
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti or other long cut pasta
- 4 cloves garlic peeled, but left whole
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/3 cup fresh herbs chopped (parsley, basil + oregano)
- 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan
- salt to taste
Parmesan Kale
- 1 small bunch kale roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the pork and brown all over.
- To the skillet, add both the cherry and regular tomatoes, plus any juice left on the cutting board (if you prefer, you can chop the large tomato in a food processor for fast prep). Cook another minute and then add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, red wine, heavy cream and 1/2 cup of water. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened just slightly. Season to taste with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the pasta AND the pealed garlic cloves until al dente. Drain.
- Add the hot pasta back to the pot. Remove the cloves of garlic and either mash them or finely chop them. Add them to the pasta along with the butter, herbs and parmesan. Season with salt to taste.
- To make the kale, add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Use your hands to massage the oil into the kale. Add the parmesan and toss. Taste and season as needed.
- Remove the pork from the heat and stir in the basil.
- Divide the pasta among plates or bowls and top with the herbed tomato pork sauce. Add a handful of kale on the side. EAT! 🙂
See ya tomorrow…it may be a kind of tropical day!
}
Hi there! After adding all of the tomatoes and liquid to the cast-iron, it took way longer to simmer it down to a thicker sauce. Any suggestions of how to thicken it quickly?
Hey Katherine,
I would try turning the heat up to see if that helps for next time:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
We don’t have those seasoned cuts of pork here in South-Africa. Any suggestions on what to season it with before I brown it?
Hey Monique,
I would just season with your favorite fresh herbs. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan