Pasta with Asparagus and Green Onion Pesto recipe

by eatwoo.com 8 June 2019, 20:21 1.6k Views

Pasta with Asparagus and Green Onion Pesto recipe

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Pasta with Asparagus and Green Onion Pesto

Pasta with Asparagus and Green Onion Pesto recipe: Oh, glorious springtime, when the trees in Brooklyn fill with blooming bubblegum-colored flowers and brilliant-red tulips line the streets of Manhattan. It’s also when the produce section gets a face-lift. Little water-filled tubs of asparagus and piles of locally grown leafy greens are just some of our many springtime perks. I mean, when was the last time you were like, “Man, I wish I’d eaten fewer green vegetables today”? Never. No one does that. Even the quarter-pounder-with-bacon-and-fries types know in their hearts that they aren’t being kept alive by the strawberry milkshake they get on the side. This recipe does a great job of combining asparagus, zinc-packed pumpkin seeds, superfood spinach, and green onions into a creamy pesto sauce that is a bit spicy but mostly dreamy!

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

$1.09 PER SERVING

Ingredients for Pasta with Asparagus and Green Onion Pesto recipe

1 (16-ounce) package small to medium shaped pasta
8 to 10 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 2 to 3 pieces about 3 inches long
1 (14-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed, or 1½ cups cooked dry garbanzo beans

Pesto

1½ cups baby spinach leaves
2 to 3 green onions
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of celery seed
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds

How to make Pasta with Asparagus and Green Onion Pesto recipe ?

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta following the instructions on the package. When the pasta shows the first signs of becoming tender, toss the asparagus and garbanzo beans in with the pasta to cook. Drain and return to the pot.

Make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the pesto ingredients, except the garlic and pumpkin seeds, and process into a thin sauce.

Using a large spoon, mix the pesto, garlic, and pumpkin seeds into the pot with the warm pasta, beans, and asparagus.

Serve hot, with some of the leftover white wine alongside.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds are one of the less famous superfoods. This one little seed is full of protein, iron, zinc, and potassium, and can be pretty affordable if you buy them in bulk. You can toss them in smoothies, salads, and soups; grind them up and use them to thicken creamy sauces; or bake them into bread. If you’re looking for other recipes in which to use your leftover pumpkin seeds, check out the Roasted Beet and Lentil Salad or the Pan-Seared Corn and Quinoa Salad. Just make sure you buy your pumpkin seeds hulled (with the thick, white outer shell removed) so you can do more with them.