Vegetarian Pesto Pasta
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!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 323kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup part skim ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese make sure your parmesan has vegetarian rennet, not animal rennet
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chopped garlic
- ¼ tsp salt or more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper or more to taste
- 1 16oz bag frozen spinach
- 8 oz whole wheat penne pasta or any whole wheat pasta you like!
- pasta water save about 1-2 ladle-fulls after cooking the pasta - it helps to make the sauce even creamier!
- additional freshly grated Parmesan optional, to top your pasta dish
Instructions
- To make the pesto sauce, put all ingredients (basil through black pepper in the list above) into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserve 1-2 ladle fulls of pasta water to mix with the sauce.
- In a large pan, heated over medium heat, defrost the frozen spinach for 2-3 min. Add in the cooked pasta and pesto sauce, stir until blended. Add the pasta water a little at a time until you like the consistency and taste.
- Serve topped with 1-2 tsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a small sprinkling of pine nuts!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip when making my vegetarian pesto pasta recipe is to use fresh, high-quality basil for the best herbaceous taste that makes pesto so irresistible. When buying my basil, I look for bright green leaves with no wilting or browning, as they have the most intense flavor and aroma. If you use wilted or browned basil, your pesto can have a dull, bitter taste and a less vibrant color, which will significantly affect the overall dish. I also avoid adding any thick basil stems for the same reason.
- Don’t Rinse The Pasta: After cooking the pasta just to al dente, I drain it but I never rinse it with water. The starch that clings to the pasta helps the pesto sauce adhere better.
- Salt The Water: I always generously salt my pasta water to season the pasta itself. As the noodles cook they absorb some of the salt, which enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
- Save Pasta Water: Don’t forget to reserve 1-2 ladles of pasta water before draining. I use this starchy water in my recipe to achieve the perfect consistency. It makes the sauce smoother and helps it cling to the penne.
- Choose Your Cheese Carefully: To make my pesto pasta recipe vegetarian, I make sure the parmesan cheese I use is made with vegetable-based rennet. Many store-bought parmesans contain animal rennet, so check the label before buying.
- Freeze Fresh Basil: One thing I like to do is buy a bunch of fresh basil during the summer when it’s in season, and then freeze small bunches of it in zip-top freezer bags. Then I can make pesto year round with flavorful fresh basil.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 287mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g