A quick and delicious very GREEN pasta recipe. A little different from a traditional pesto recipe but with definitely more nutrients thanks to the added vegetables.
For a bit of fun: You can use kale instead of spinach and edamame beans instead of peas.
You can also make a big batch of pesto and store it in the freezer. I love it spread on a toast with some hummus.
Courgette and spinach pesto
Ingredients
- 80g fresh basil leaves
- 30g grated parmesan (or Nutritional yeast flakes for a vegan version)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 20g pine nuts
- 2 big courgettes or 3 – 4 small courgettes
- 160g pasta
- 2 handful of fresh spinach
- 2 full spoons of boiled peas
- 1/2 lemon juice
Directions
- Finely slice the courgettes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil on a saucepan and add the courgette. Cook until soft and season with salt and pepper. You can sauté the courgette with some garlic if you like it. Set aside the courgettes to cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the pack instruction and keep some of the cooking water.
- In a tall container or a large bowl of a food processor blend the 1/2 or 3/4 of the cooked courgettes with the pease, basil, parmesan, 1 Tbsp olive oil, pine nuts, spinach and lemon juice. Blend the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
- Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan over a medium heat with the remaining courgettes. Add your pesto and 1 or 2 tbsp of the cooking water.
- Toss well to coat evenly the pasta and serve with extra fresh basil leaves, parmesan and pine nuts.
Francesca Straniero 