SUPER GREEN PASTA | Pesto Veggie Pasta Recipe Perfect for Spring

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is lower in calories and dairy-free.

pine nuts

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Walnuts provide healthy fats while being more affordable.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a couple tablespoons of salt.

Add 150 grams of penne pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes.

Prepare the spinach and walnut pesto by adding 3 cloves of garlic and pumpkin seeds to a mixer and blend until finely chopped.

Add 50 grams of fresh parsley and 100 ml of olive oil to the mixer, along with a teaspoon of salt, and blend until smooth.

Slice one large leek down the middle, rinse, and slice thinly.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the sliced leeks.

Wash half a bunch of asparagus, snap off the tough ends, and cut into thirds, then add to the skillet with the leeks.

Saute the leeks and asparagus for about 30 seconds, then season lightly with salt.

After 10 minutes, drain the pasta using a colander placed over a measuring cup to catch some pasta water.

Add some of the reserved pasta water to the skillet with the leeks and asparagus.

Add about half a cup of the spinach and walnut pesto to the skillet and stir to combine.

Add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to the skillet for creaminess and stir until well combined, adjusting with more pasta water if needed.

Optionally, add frozen peas to the skillet and stir until heated through.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens