What meat goes well with pesto pasta? If you have been looking for an answer, you’re welcome here!
But the selection of meat that makes the dish extra special is not a piece of cake. But don’t worry! We are always here when choosing the right pairing for pesto pasta.
Pesto pasta is a versatile and delicious staple food that can be enjoyed in many ways. Pairing meat with pasta is just like composing harmony for the taste buds. Moreover, it is simple to make and can be paired with several types of meat, and after pairing, they complement each other’s textures and tastes.
Get ready to dive into a world of mouthwatering possibilities to find out what meat goes well with pasta.
What meat goes well with pesto pasta?
If you want to enhance the experience of your pasta dinner, these options will help you find out what meat goes well with pesto pasta.
But wait a minute! Do you know that white sauce pasta veggies taste like heaven? Haven’t you tried it already? Please hurry up and read my blog and learn more about vegetables.
Ground beef goes well with pesto pasta:
Beef is an excellent option if you want a healthier pasta version. Beef is a good source of protein and enriched with other essential nutrients like zinc, iron and B vitamins. Beef adds its own rich and salty flavour to the pasta. The umami form of beef and pesto pasta creates the best combination of deliciously balanced flavours.
Select ground beef with an excellent fat ratio 60:40. Fat prevents the meat from turning dry, chewy, or grainy. Fat ensures the meat stays moist and blends well with pesto pasta. Beef has a more robust flavour but balances well when mixed with pesto pasta.
Pro tip: One of the best ways to add ground beef is to marinate lean ground beef with olive oil to maintain moisture when the meat cooks. Brown ground beef in a skillet on the stove, then add pasta.
Chicken goes well with pesto pasta:
Chicken pairs wonderfully with pesto pasta. It is high in protein and low in fats. Chicken has a mild taste as compared to ground beef. So, it absorbs the flavours of the pesto sauce and makes a great combination.
You can cook chicken on the stove or air-fry it. Cook the chicken until it turns into a golden brown colour. If your pesto sauce has a smokey flavour, it is recommended to grill chicken.
Pro tip: the tip when using chicken for pesto pasta is the correct quantity so that they will stay consistent with each other’s taste. The recommended ratio is 1/3 cup of pesto with 1-pound chicken.
Turkey goes well with pesto pasta:
Turkey is a healthy protein choice to add to pesto pasta. Unlike beef, turkey is mild in flavour and blends well with other sauces. The best way to add turkey meat is ground meat, marinate it before cooking. To enhance your pasta dish texture add meat as a thinly sliced breast piece or in the diced cut.
Pro tip: If you’re using sliced meat, cook until it’s golden brown and crispy from the outside. Ensure it’s moisture from the inside.
Bacon goes well with pesto pasta:
Bacon is undoubtedly the most simple option full of flavours. It has a mild salty and smokey flavour that pairs nicely with pesto and won’t overpower the taste.
You can cook bacon in a skillet on the stove or grill it over the coals until it turns crispy and golden. Flip it after every 3 minutes. Chop the cooked bacon then add to your pasta.
Pro tip: Bacon meat is salty in flavour; don’t add more salt.
Pork chop goes well with pesto pasta:
Pork chops work effortlessly if you like more meaty flavour in your pesto pasta. Pork chops are mild in flavour than bacon or beef.
Pork chops can be seasoned with salt and black peppers. Add garlic to get a strong flavour, which would also help to balance the chop’s meaty flavour.
You can cook pork chops on the stove or in the oven. Once cooked, chop them into small pieces before adding to pesto pasta.
Pro tip: Add olive oil while cooking to get a juicy taste and texture.
Shrimp goes well with pesto pasta:
Shrimp is an ideal pair with earth, nutty pesto pasta without overpowering it. Shrimp has a mild buttery and sweet flavour, creating a balanced pasta dish from the salty notes of pesto.
Shrimp cooks in a few minutes. You can sauté it on the stove top or can grill it. If you opt for grill, cook for a very short time. Please remove it from heat when it turns pink; don’t overcook it.
Lobster goes well with pesto pasta:
Lobster goes well as seafood pesto pasta. It is similar in taste and texture to shrimp; however, its flavour is a bit sweeter and meatier than shrimp.
The two ingredients, lobster sweetness and the salty flavour of pesto balance out each other taste so well.
If you’re cooking fresh lobster, cook it thoroughly, but don’t overcook to become chewy and dry.
Pro tip: Remember that frozen and canned lobsters may already have salt, so avoid over-seasoning the pasta.
Veal goes well with pesto pasta:
If you’re an enthusiast eater, give it a try, and trust me, this try will be worth it. Veal is enriched in flavour and wonderfully tender. It mainly combines with other meals, especially with pesto pasta.
The delicate flavour profile of veal meat pairs well with the pesto’s earthy, nutty, and slightly salty flavour. To get tenderness and a pleasing texture to the pesto pasta, cook it on the stove until it is done, and slice it into steak slices before adding.
Tuna goes well with pesto pasta:
Tuna is a superb addition to a fishy flavour with fresh pesto pasta flavours. If you’re in a hurry or want to avoid cooking meat, Tuna is the easiest option in addition to pasta.
You need to grab a can of tuna, strain the liquid, and add it to the pesto pasta. There is no preparation, and cooking is involved.
If you want to warm canned tuna before adding, place it in a pan with some drops of liquid and heat it for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
Steak goes well with pesto pasta:
A perfectly baked steak is always a delicious addition to fresh-flavoured pesto pasta. The steak and pesto have rich in flavours, but their flavours blend so well -never overpowering each other.
Cook steak on the stove with olive oil according to your preference. Once done, let it rest for 8-10 minutes, then slice or chop it up to add to the pesto pasta.
Pro tip: only add steak to the pan when the oil is heated. This simple step will make your steak crispy outside and inside, juicy and tender.
How to select the right meat for pesto pasta?
If you like pesto pasta; beef, turkey, or steak go well for intense flavours. Use chicken breast if you want a milder taste. For summer dinner, go for grilled chicken or shrimp. If you’re cooking pesto pasta in winter, use sausages, ham or leftover turkey meat.
Frequently asked questions related to pesto pasta.
What to pair with pesto pasta?
Pesto pasta is versatile and can be splendidly paired with grilled meat, sautéed vegetables, or sausages. Rosemary Olive Oil Bread, roasted broccoli, carrots or mushrooms would also be paired with pesto pasta.
What meat goes well with pesto?
Pesto goes wonderfully with turkey, ground beef, chicken, pork and different seafood like fish, tuna and shrimp. There are no specific preparations needed for seasoning meat. Salty pesto is so enriched in flavour that it always creates the best combo when pair up meat or vegetables.
What do Italians eat with pesto pasta?
Pesto is the perfect sauce to enjoy with a dish of lasagna or potato gnocchi or as a topping for many pasta types. You can also mix pesto pasta into tomato sauce to enhance the pasta dish’s flavour or use fish fillets to make them more tempting.
