vegetarian pesto pasta

This Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Roasted Vegetables is the best weeknight pasta dish - it&#x27;s simple to make, ridiculously delicious, and it&#x27;s packed with veggies! The pesto itself has broccoli in it for an extra dose of nutrients + flavor, and the pasta is filled with roasted broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, butternut squash, shallots, and mushrooms!

Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

rigatoni (or other short-cut pasta)

cauliflower florets (cut into small florets)

butternut squash

red bell pepper,

broccoli crown,

cremini mushrooms, quartered

medium shallot, very thinly sliced

extra virgin olive oil

salt

pepper

pasta water*

cheese,

basil leaves

red pepper flakes

broccoli florets

flat leaf parsley

garlic

pine nuts, toasted*

parmesan cheese

juice of 1/2 a lemon

Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the cauliflower, butternut squash, red bell pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, and shallots. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single, even layer (you may need to do this with 2 baking sheets if yours isn&#x27;t large enough). Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing once, or until vegetables are tender, caramelized, and golden brown.

While vegetables are roasting, make the pesto. Add broccoli florets to your food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Add the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pulse several more times. Add the olive oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta and salt the water. Once boiling, add your pasta and cook according to package directions, or until just al dente. Remember to reserve your pasta water (I just scoop a bunch out with a large mug or heat-safe glass measuring cup!) Drain pasta, and add back into the pot or a large mixing bowl. Add the pesto and a splash (start with 1/4 cup) of the pasta water and stir to coat the pasta. Add the roasted vegetables, several cranks of freshly cracked black pepper, and a couple pinches of salt and stir to combine. Add a couple handfuls of parmesan cheese and another splash of pasta water if it seems like it needs more moisture. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve with extra parmesan, basil leaves, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

This healthy vegetarian pesto recipe is easy to make and perfect for a fuss-free weeknight meal. Ricotta gives this sauce a creamy texture and the added pine nuts gives it a nice crunch!

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Recipe

ricotta cheese

tbsp

pine nuts

olive oil

tsp chopped garlic

¼ tsp black pepper (or more to taste)

bag Frozen Spinach

Parmesan (to top your pasta dish)

oz Whole wheat penne pasta

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!

This Vegetarian Pesto Pasta made with spinach, herbs and whole wheat penne is a quick and easy dinner recipe that comes together in 30 minutes. Every bite is bursting with flavor!

This simple but satisfying vegetarian meal is the definition of versatile. Use your favorite pasta, homemade or storebought pesto, and your favorite veggies.

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

bowtie pasta (or pasta of choice)

zucchini

Italian seasoning

chickpeas

pesto (see below for recipe)

pasta water (more as needed)

black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, Parmesan

pecans (or pine nuts)

Parmesan

lemon juice

In a blender, pulse together the nuts, Parmesan, and garlic until mostly broken down. Add the basil (I recommend blanching it first to preserve its color, but this is completely optional), lemon juice, and salt.

While the blender is running, drizzle in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Taste for salt, lemon juice, and garlic.

Pesto

Cook the pasta until al dente in well-salted water. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the cooked pasta water.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add the sliced zucchini, Italian seasoning, chickpeas, and salt.

Cook zucchini for 8-10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Stir as needed.

Combine 6 ounces of pesto with 3-4 tablespoons of pasta water to thin it into a pourable sauce.

Toss the pesto sauce with the cooked pasta, zucchini, and chickpeas. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan to taste. Serve hot or cold.

Pesto Pasta

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1651676885/mefp4v9kuxxwlsajugdw.mp4

Grab a jar of pesto, pasta, and a few veggies to make this simple but satisfying vegetarian pesto pasta. This meal comes together in just about 15 minutes and is perfect for lunch or dinner!

Top 3 vegetarian pesto pasta recipes from across the web

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Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Recipe

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

Top 3 vegetarian pesto pasta recipes from across the web

The most viewed vegetarian pesto pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Roasted V...

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Recipe

Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

The most viewed vegetarian pesto pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine