Creamy Pesto Pasta is a straightforward, tacky backpacking meal that’s fast to prep at dwelling and cook dinner on the path. It solely makes use of store-bought elements–no dehydrator wanted for this one!
The most effective backpacking dinners are simple to make, have a excessive calorie-to-weight ratio, and are filled with taste—and this Creamy Pesto Pasta dish checks all of the containers!
This recipe solely makes use of grocery retailer elements (it’s fairly resupply-friendly!), and takes about 5 minutes to cook dinner in camp in a single pot. This meal is light-weight at lower than 5 ounces, however loaded with energy that can assist you curb that hiker starvation after an extended day on the path.
And, it’s scrumptious: a creamy, tacky, basil-scented sauce, crunchy pine nuts, and vibrant pops of sun-dried tomatoes hold us trying ahead to each chew.
Ingredient Notes
Knorr Creamy Pesto Sauce Combine: We’re not being paid to say so, however this sauce combine is the premise of this complete recipe. That is broadly accessible in common grocery shops or might be bought on-line. It may in all probability be replicated with cream powder, butter powder, and herbs/spices, however the packet it simply SO simple.
Angel hair pasta: Or ramen noodles (toss the seasoning packet). Angel hair is skinny sufficient that it cooks quick without having to be dehydrated, and the starch that comes off whereas cooking on the path will simply assist make the sauce creamier. In order for you to have the ability to put together this as a chilly soak meal, we’d advocate cooking and dehydrating the pasta first (we discover raw pasta finally ends up gummy when cold-soaked).
Pine nuts: Provides nice texture and taste!
Solar-dried tomatoes: Use ones which might be dry-packed (not ones that are available oil or water!).
Parmesan cheese: Use pre-packaged cheese or simply portion grated parmeasn right into a small baggie. In accordance with the USDA, grated parmesan doesn’t want to be refrigerated, so you have to be superb to make use of it–although we advocate packaging it as near your journey as attainable and hold it in its personal bag simply in case.
Olive oil: Non-compulsory, so as to add energy. One tablespoon provides 119 kCal! These single-serve packets are tremendous handy, or retailer in a .
The and the are our two high stoves for backpacking. See our beneficial backpacking guidelines right here!
Step By Step
Make sure you scroll right down to the recipe card for actual measurements and the printable recipe!
At dwelling
Put the creamy pesto sauce powder, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes in a small bag. Put the parmesan cheese in a separate small bag (this helps in case the elements sweat on the path) if not already individually packaged. Break the angel hair in half and place it into a bigger zip-top bag together with the opposite ingredient baggies.
Right here’s the bag we use–it weighs solely 13g.
On path
Take away the angel hair and place it in your cook dinner pot. Add water to simply barely cowl the noodles. You actually don’t need lots of further water to cope with. Activate the range, convey the water to a boil, and cook dinner the noodles for a couple of minutes till they’re achieved (or boil for 1 minute after which place it in your pot cozy if utilizing).
Take the pot off the warmth and take away of all however ¼ cup of the remaining water. You may both drink it (there are energy in there!) or get rid of it in a 6-inch deep gap (in accordance with Depart No Hint).
Add the remaining elements to create the sauce and end with the olive oil (if utilizing). Stir till the sauce is creamy and the noodles are coated.
That’s it! Take pleasure in!
Path Weight & Diet
This recipe makes 1 ~135g serving (dry weight), clocking in at 143 cal/oz. With 1 tablespoon olive oil, the meal will weigh ~149g and clock in at 152 cal/oz. Every serving offers roughly:
- 691 energy (881 energy with olive oil)
- 19g fats (32g with olive oil)
- 109g carbohydrates
- 29g protein
For extra details about how a lot meals to eat whereas backpacking, try our backpacking meals submit.
(Disclaimer: Diet was calculated based mostly on the elements we used, so yours might fluctuate barely.)
- 3 oz angel hair pasta
- ½ packet Knorr Creamy Pesto sauce combine, (about 2 ½ tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon chopped solar dried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
- Non-compulsory: 1 tablespoon olive oil
Stop your display from going darkish
At Residence
Put the creamy pesto sauce powder, pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes in a small bag. Put the parmesan cheese in a separate small bag (this helps in case the elements sweat on the path) if not already individually packaged. Break the angel hair in half and place it into a bigger zip-top bag together with the opposite ingredient baggies.
On Path
Take away the angel hair and place it in your cook dinner pot. Add water to simply barely cowl the noodles. You actually don’t need lots of further water to cope with. Activate the range, convey the water to a boil, and cook dinner the noodles for a couple of minutes till they’re achieved (or boil for 1 minute after which place it in your pot cozy if utilizing).
Take the pot off the warmth and take away all however ¼ cup of the remaining water. You may both drink it (there are energy in there!) or get rid of it in a 6-inch deep gap (in accordance with Depart No Hint).
Add the remaining elements to create the sauce and end with the olive oil (if utilizing). Stir till the sauce is creamy and the noodles are coated.
This recipe makes 1 ~135g serving (dry weight), clocking in at 143 cal/oz. With 1 tablespoon olive oil, the meal will weigh ~149g and clock in at 152 cal/oz. Every serving offers roughly:
-
- 691 energy (881 energy with olive oil)
- 19g fats (32g with olive oil)
- 109g carbohydrates
- 29g protein
Serving: 135g | Energy: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 29g | Fats: 19g
*Diet is an estimate based mostly on data supplied by a third-party vitamin calculator