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Pasta Primavera with Fresh Pesto Sauce Healthy Lunch Recipe : Pasta Primavera with Fresh Pesto Sauce

This colorful pasta dish is great to make when gardens are brimming with fresh veggies and herbs.

Vary your choice of vegetables if you like, to include your own particular favourites.

This recipe is Vegan-friendly without the cheese or use vegan-type Parmesan if available. The Parmesan does add a nice flavor boost and texture to this dish.
Serves:
This Recipe Serves 4.
Ingredients:

Pesto Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves.
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley.
  • 3 garlic cloves (or more to taste).
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
  • 4 tablespoons pine nuts.
  • 1/3 cup light or regular olive oil.
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Sea Salt (optional).
  • 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper, to taste.
Pasta and Vegetables:
  • 200 grams uncooked fettucini or linguine pasta (try flavoured varieties for a change such as spinach or tomato).
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil.
  • 1 medium onion, diced.
  • 1 cup broccoli florets.
  • 1 small, sweet red pepper, cut in strips.
  • 1 cup (bite-sized cut) green or yellow beans.
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms.
  • Garnish: freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (optional).

Method:

Pesto Sauce
  1. In a food processor, puree the basil leaves, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and pine nuts. Gradually pour in the olive oil, continuing to blend, forming a thick sauce.

  2. Add a bit more oil if necessary.

  3. Season to taste and set aside.

Pasta and Vegetables
  1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta to desired tenderness, rinse, drain and set aside.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frypan or wok over medium-high heat.

  3. Add all the vegetables except the mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. (Veggies should be cooked but still crisp). Remove from heat.

  4. Add pesto and pasta to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Cover and heat through over low heat for about 2 minutes, just to heat through.

  5. Adjust seasoning if desired.

  6. Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese and serve.


Nutrition Panel:

NUTRITION INFORMATION
 Servings: 4
 Serving size: 288g
  Average
Quantity per
Serving 		  Average
Quantity per
100 g
 Energy 2680 kJ   931 kJ
  640 Cal   222 Cal
 Protein 17.1 g   5.9 g
 Fat, total 44.5 g   15.5 g
 - saturated 6.7 g   2.3 g
 Carbohydrate 39.8 g   13.8 g
 - sugars 3.9 g   1.4 g
 Sodium 650 mg   226 mg
Additional Comments:
Recipe from: Not Just for Vegetarians, Delicious Homestyle Cooking, the Meatless Way by Geraldine Hartman. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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