Toasted Walnuts With Charred Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe — Salt & Wind Travel (2024)

  • BY Aida Mollenkamp
  • PublishedSeptember 21, 2015
  • Updated May 10, 2022

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A twist on charred tomato sauce pasta made with toasted walnuts, basil, and whole wheat spaghetti, this plant-based dish is comforting and unexpected all at once.

When I think of char, I can’t help but think of Lebanon. When I visited, I was intrigued by how food would be charred within an inch of its life and I saw it over and over again be it almonds for garnishes, eggplant for a dip, or onions for a stew.

Sure, I lightly toast food to amp up the crunch factor and nutty flavor, but taking it to that extra charred state lends a smoky almost bitter note to things.

I’m now hooked on all things char and have come to desire a hint of bitterness in my savory dishes. So, I took those toasted memories and came up with thisBurst Tomato Pasta with Charred Walnuts. One bite and I think it’s clear these under-appreciated tomatoes found their moment to shine.

Gostock up on all your cooking essentialsthen head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us bytagging@saltandwindand#swsocietyon social!

Toasted Walnuts With Charred Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe — Salt & Wind Travel (1)

Burst Tomato Pasta with Charred Walnuts Recipe

A twist on charred tomato sauce pasta made with toasted walnuts, basil, and whole wheat spaghetti, this plant-based dish is comforting and unexpected all at once.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main, Noodles

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Servings 4

Calories 607 kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole wheat or quinoa spaghetti
  • 1 cup walnut halves shelled
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided, plus more for garnish
  • 4 shallots sliced paper thin
  • kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic sliced paper thin
  • 1 1/2 pounds whole cherry or grape tomatoes washed and thoroughly dried
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • unrefined granulated sugar optional
  • 1 handful fresh basil or Italian parsley leaves thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Cook The Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.

    Meanwhile, place the walnuts in a dry small pan over medium heat and cook until they are dark golden brown and seriously toasted (you want them to be on the edge of being burnt but do not burn them)!

    Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.

    8 ounces whole wheat or quinoa spaghetti, 1 cup walnut halves

  • Make The Burst Tomato Sauce: Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a heavy-bottomed large skillet over medium-high heat.

    When the oil shimmers, add the shallots, stir in a pinch of salt and a few cranks of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 4 shallots, kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper

  • Add the remaining oil, add the garlic and tomatoes, stir to coat in oil, then cook covered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes start to collapse, about 4 to 5 minutes. With the back of a spoon or a potato masher, carefully smash any tomatoes that haven't already collapsed.

    Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and the pomegranate molasses to the pan and stir to incorporate any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in butter until melted, taste, and add salt or sugar, as desired.

    6 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 pounds whole cherry or grape tomatoes, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, unrefined granulated sugar

  • Add the pasta and stir to coat with the sauce. Add remaining pasta water, as needed, so that the sauce delicately coats each strand of pasta.

    Stir in walnuts and basil or parsley and toss to coat the pasta. Taste, add more salt and pepper or oil as desired and serve immediately.

    1 handful fresh basil or Italian parsley leaves

PERSONAL NOTES

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 607kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 15gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 19mgPotassium: 763mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1683IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 4mg

Keyword cherry tomato pasta, walnut pasta, whole wheat pasta

Tried this recipe?Mention @saltandwind or tag #swsociety!

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About The Author

Aida Mollenkamp

Aida Mollenkamp is a food and travel expert, author, chef, Food Network personality, and founder of the boutique travel company, In all that she does, Aida aims to help discerning travelers taste the world.

Posts By This Author →

Aida Mollenkamp

Aida Mollenkamp is a food and travel expert, author, chef, Food Network personality, and founder of the boutique travel company, In all that she does, Aida aims to help discerning travelers taste the world.

View Posts By This Author →

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Toasted Walnuts With Charred Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe — Salt & Wind Travel (2024)

FAQs

What is walnut sauce made of? ›

Combine the bread with the walnuts, parsley, garlic, salt& pepper in a food processor. Process, adding the olive oil in a very slow stream until you have a thick paste. Toss with your favourite hot pasta or spoon a dollop on new potatoes, steamed broccoli, or green beans.

How does tomato sauce get from the farm to the table? ›

Canning: Machines use energy to mix and can tomatoes and other ingredients into consumer products. Transportation: Trucks are used to transport final products to retail stores or restaurants. Energy is a big cost of transporting products. Retail: Final products are found in retail stores or used at restuarants.

What makes walnuts taste better? ›

Walnut skins can be bitter, but toasting them brings out a richer nuttiness and makes those skins easy to rub off. Many of the recipes here call for toasted walnuts but even if they don't, there's no reason to avoid doing so. It will make everything taste that much better.

What are the pros and cons of walnut food? ›

Walnuts are dense in calories, and you should consume them in moderation to reduce the risk of gaining weight. They may also lead to kidney stones because of the oxalate content present in them. High consumption of walnuts may cause diarrhoea, stomach pain or bloating due to their fibre-rich content.

Do I have to peel tomatoes for tomato sauce? ›

In a salad or sandwich, you don't need peeled tomatoes. But, if you're making a fresh tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes, the tomatoes should be peeled, cored, and seeded. The result will be a smoother sauce without any seeds, core, or peel in it. Don't worry, it's an easy and quick process.

What spaghetti sauce do restaurants use? ›

The type of tomato sauce restaurants use for their spaghetti dishes can vary greatly depending on the specific dish and the restaurant's style. Here are some of the most common options: Marinara: This is a simple, classic tomato sauce made with just tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs like basil and oregano.

Can you leave the skin on tomatoes when making sauce? ›

Yes, you can leave skin on tomatoes when making sauce! Just use a food processor to transform whole tomatoes into sauce. This saves lots of time from having to boil the tomatoes first to loosen the skin enough to peel. We also figure keeping the skins on retains all the vitamins and minerals that the skin contains.

What Flavour is walnut? ›

Slightly bitter in flavour, walnuts are good eaten raw or cooked, in either sweet or savoury dishes, and are particularly useful for baking.

What is the taste of walnut? ›

Walnut flavor is, in general, fairly mild, but it has a complexity that includes some tangy and sharp notes. Researchers have identified three contributors to this bite: oil content, a tendency to become rancid if not stored properly, and the tannins in the walnut skin. Dr.

What is walnut meat made of? ›

Walnut meat is where you essentially soften the walnuts in hot water before chopping them and adding them to a pan with different flavorings and seasonings to mimic certain proteins. Some walnut meat is made with beans as well, and then pulsed in a food processor.

Is A walnut bitter or sweet? ›

Smell and take a small nibble of the walnuts. Fresh walnuts will smell nutty and have a sweet, nutty taste. Walnuts that smell like paint thinner and have a very bitter taste are rancid and need to be thrown away.

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