Easy to make Arugula & Basil Pesto Pasta Salad
Here is an easy pesto pasta recipe that is made with fresh vegetables and pantry staples. All the ingredient for this recipe comes together in no time!
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Arugula and basil pesto pasta is a great side dish or main dish for Spring. One of those simple pasta dishes that looks impressive, and is rich in flavor, color!
Our recipe has ingredients you never thought to put together without being overwhelming, and it gives you creativity to customize when it comes to nuts. Pine nuts are the most traditional option. But I’ve substituted pine nuts for sunflower seeds with success, so go ahead and try from pistachios and walnuts to almonds.
One thing is for certain, homemade basil pesto beats the store-bought stuff every time. If you have any pesto leftovers, pour it into an ice cube tray then freeze it for the next time you want to stir it into a piping hot pasta and devour!
Want more recipes for the Spring time!
We are apart of a Spring Recipe Collaboration with 10 other AMAZING bloggers, so be sure to head to check out the other 9 recipes at the end of this post. You won’t want to miss out on any of these delicious recipes!
Ingredients
1/2 cups fresh arugula.
1/2 cup fresh basil.
½ lemons juice
1/2 cup Olive Oil
¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pine nuts, walnuts, etc. could be used)- I used Organic Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
A cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (extra to sprinkle on top afterwards)
1 tsp salt
1 whole chopped up yellow zucchini (other chopped vegetable can be used)
2 cups cherry tomatoes (chopped in half)
1 box of Pasta of choice – I used Banza Chickpea Rotini pasta ( I used two boxes because there boxes are small)
How do you make pesto pasta?
- Start cooking your pasta of choice via your box instructions
- Place all ingredient except for the oil into a food processor or blender
- After blending for 5-10 seconds, add oil little by little to the food processor when blending.
- Cut zucchini into small pieces and into a skillet cook with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp of minced garlic. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes or till tender
- When pasta is cooked, drain out water, keeping at least 1 cup of pasta liquid.
- Incorporate the pesto into a bowl of your drained pasta
- Add pasta water to pesto pasta as needed to add creaminess of your liking
- Mix in zucchini and tomatoes into pesto pasta
- Top it off with a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top & salt to taste
Cooking Tips
-Pasta gets dried, add more pasta water to make creamier
-Sprinkle salt onto your pasta as needed
-Want thinner pesto add more olive oil to pesto
-If your pesto is to bitter tasting for you add more cheese to counter that taste
-Need warm creamy pasta, it’s best when made and served immediately. If you have to reheat sprinkle some water over the pasta and reheat slowly.
Make this pesto pasta to eat warm and cold, especially after being in the fridge overnight…it taste even better!
Is Pasta with Pesto Healthy?
Pesto is made all-natural and some of the ingredients might be high in fat. However, they are high in unsaturated fat and eaten in moderation, pesto ingredients are beneficial, not harmful for your body. Inflammation can be decreased as well as bad cholesterol.
What goes well with pesto pasta?
There are many options to try when you pair it with pesto pasta. Some ideas are:
Chicken
Shrimp
Vegetables
Mushrooms
Should I wash my basil before making pesto?
Yes, always wash the produce before you are about to cook with it. Organic produce or not, making sure your greens are clean is another step you should skip.
Arugula & Basil Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- food processor
- large pot
- large bowl
- Kitchen Knife
- Cutting board
- measuring cups
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 1/2 cup basil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lemons juice
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 whole yellow zucchini
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 box pasta of choice
Instructions
- Start cooking your pasta of choice via your box instructions
- Place all ingredient except for the oil into a food processor or blender
- After blending for 5-10 seconds, add oil little by little to the food processor when blending.
- Cut zucchini into small pieces into a skillet cook with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp of minced garlic. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes or till tender
- After pasta is cooked, drain out water, keeping at least 1 cup of pasta liquid
- Incorporate the pesto into a bowl of your drained pasta
- Add pasta water to pesto pasta as needed to add creaminess of your liking
- Mix in zucchini and tomatoes into pasta
- Top it off with a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top
Notes
Spring Time Foods: Recipe Collaboration
Below I have linked each bloggers name and the recipe so you can go straight to each recipe!
1.Country Homemaking- Strawberry Muffins
2. Barefoot in the Pines- Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
3. The Mountain Farmhouse- Vegan Creamy Asparagus Soup
4. Spruce Acres Homestead- 3 Dandelion Recipes (Bonus: Dextox tea)
5. Church Street Homestead- Sourdough Lemon Loaf with Raspberry Drizzle
6. The Stylish homestead- Sourdough French Toast Casserole
7. The Crooks Family Farm- Blueberry Muffins
8. The Gal Down the Road- Fancy French Bread
9. Living Like Were Country- Spring Refreshing Iced Tea
PIN FOR LATER!
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This combines so many of my favorite foods into one dish. Yum!
Same! I like how I can use it for a side in any meal I make too 🙂