Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

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My healthy Vegetarian Pesto Pasta recipe is ideal for anyone looking for the perfect weeknight dinner, it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. I bring together creamy ricotta, salty parmesan, fresh basil, nutrient-rich spinach with whole wheat pasta and crunchy pine nuts to create a pesto veggie pasta that even the pickiest eaters will love!

As a nutritionist, I know that traditional pesto can be heavy on oil, cheese, and fat, which is why I wanted to create a healthier version without sacrificing taste. After extensive testing, I finally perfected a vegetarian pesto pasta recipe that’s both delicious and nutritious! I took inspiration from my easy pesto without pine nuts recipe, making a few adjustments to keep all the classic flavors.

By reducing oil, using part-skim ricotta, and adding spinach, I’ve preserved all the classic flavors while making it lighter and more balanced. Now, I enjoy it not only with whole wheat pasta but also as a fresh, flavorful spread on my vegan meatball sub, it’s a recipe I keep coming back to.

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🥘 Ingredients

I only need a handful of simple ingredients to make my easy veggie pesto pasta, and I’m sure you already have most of them in your pantry.

Spinach: This leafy green vegetable adds a vibrant pop of color, along with a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, and minerals (source). I used frozen spinach to save time, but feel free to use fresh spinach if you prefer.

Basil: My vegetarian pesto recipe wouldn’t be complete without some fragrant fresh basil. For the best flavor, choose vibrant green basil with healthy leaves. 

Pine Nuts: Just like in classic pesto recipes, I blend pine nuts into the sauce and sprinkle a few on top for extra crunch. If you don’t have pine nuts, you can also use slivered almonds or walnuts. Walnut pesto is also popular in Italian cuisine and would taste great with this dish.

Aromatics & Spices: I use a combination of fresh garlic cloves, sea salt, and black pepper to enhance and develop the flavor of the sauce. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Rich extra virgin olive oil contributes to the creamy texture and flavor. However, I use just a small amount, combined with reserved pasta water, to reduce the pesto pasta calories and fat.

Ricotta Cheese: Makes the sauce nice and creamy! You could also use cottage cheese if you don’t like ricotta.

Parmesan Cheese: To keep my pesto pasta vegetarian I use fresh parmesan cheese that doesn’t contain any rennet. The grated type you find in the aisle with the pasta is not what you’re looking for. 

Whole Wheat Penne: I like to use whole wheat penne pasta for this dish. It’s high in fiber, which makes it healthier and I think it absorbs the sauce well (source). However, you can use any type of noodle you like such as rotini pasta, linguine, bucatini, capellini, spaghetti, and fettuccine.

👩🏽‍🍳 How To Make

I promise, making my homemade vegetable pasta pesto is so easy, and it tastes way better than anything from the store. Here are the steps how I make it:

Make Pesto Sauce: To begin, I put the fresh basil, ricotta, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper into my food processor, and puree until smooth. You can also use a blender. 

Cook Pasta: Once the pesto is made, I bring a salted pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Then I drain the pasta and reserve 1-2 ladles of pasta water (about a half cup) to mix with the homemade pesto in a later step. 

Cook Spinach: After the pasta is cooked, I defrost the frozen spinach in a large pan over medium heat. This normally takes me about 2-3 minutes. 

Mix Pasta & Sauce: First, I add the cooked pasta and homemade basil pesto to the pan with the spinach and gently stir until blended. Then I add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until I reach the perfect creamy consistency. 

Serve & Enjoy: When ready, I serve my veggie pasta with pesto topped with 1-2 teaspoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of pine nuts!

📖 Variations

I love how easy this veggie pesto pasta is to tweak! Here are my go-to variations that I make on repeat at home:

Make it Vegan: I simply use vegan parmesan and vegan ricotta. My go-to is Kite Hill’s vegan ricotta, which has a great creamy texture. You can also use 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast in the pesto sauce, and sprinkle an additional 2 tablespoons on top of the pasta before serving in place of the parmesan cheese.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta: This is a great way to add even more green veggies! To make this variation, I add 1 cup of broccoli florets to the food processor along with the other pesto ingredients.

Add More Protein: Feel free to toss in some white beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas to make this a high protein vegetarian pesto pasta. You could even toss in some of my tofu meatballs.

Add Marinara: If you find the taste of basil pesto a bit intense, you can easily mellow it out by mixing in some of my healthy marinara sauce. This combination creates a creamy, balanced flavor that’s less bold but still delicious.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

You can serve my healthy veggie pesto pasta recipe on its own, or pair it with a variety of dishes for a heartier meal. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this dish:

With Bread: You can’t go wrong serving my vegetable pesto pasta recipe with some homemade vegan garlic bread or these garlic bread grilled cheese sandwiches! It’s also incredible with my buckwheat sourdough bread and some butter.

With Salads: I love serving it with a simple garden salad tossed with my vegan Italian dressing. You can also serve it with a more filling salad like my roasted cauliflower salad, or my delicious avocado cucumber salad.

With Sides: To add even more color to your plate and added nutrition serve it with my Italian ratatouille. For something more filling, it’s also wonderful with my roasted broccoli and potatoes.

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

For The Pesto Pasta

First, I let the pasta cool completely, then I store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When I’m ready to enjoy it again, I reheat it in the microwave for about 1 minute, adding a little water or broth if it feels dry. Unfortunately, once the sauce and pasta are combined, this dish doesn’t freeze well and will become mushy once defrosted. I recommend preparing the pasta fresh if making the sauce in advance.

For The Pesto Sauce

My vegetarian pesto freezes beautifully! I spoon it into ice cube trays, then transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer bag for easy storage. When I’m ready to use it, I simply let a few cubes thaw overnight in the fridge. Frozen pesto keeps for about 3 months.

I will often batch cook and freeze fresh pesto in the spring and summer (when herbs are the most aromatic) so I can have it on hand all year long. Note: To freeze large batches of pesto, transfer to a freezer storage container, cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil, then seal. Having larger batches on hand works perfectly for those times when you want to throw dinner together quickly.

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