I made a few ingredient substitutions in this recipe - yellow onion instead of red, and frozen Swiss chard instead of kale. I also opted for olive oil, regular pasta and cream cheese instead of the reduced-fat version. I decided to go easy on the pesto, using about half the recommended amount. One thing I regret is not adding any lemon, which might have added a nice zesty touch.
The dish turned out alright, but it ended up being quite salty. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't added any extra salt since the pesto I used was already salty enough on its own. Surprisingly, it tasted even better the next day as reheated leftovers. We paired it with some extra sour cream to balance out the saltiness.
Overall, a good recipe with room for personalization, just be cautious with the salt if your pesto packs a punch!
