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This healthy Pesto Pasta with Arugula, Asparagus, Peas, and Pistachios is fresh, vivid, and absolutely delicious! Eat it warm or cold!

Pesto Pasta Recipe

This vegetarian pesto pasta is the proper approach to showcase spring veggies! This lightened-up pesto combines fragrant fresh basil with earthy arugula, salty parmesan, sweet roasted pistachios, and vivid lemon juice. Serving it over a bed of fresh arugula adds texture, and topping it with more parmesan and
pistachios makes it insanely good. You may see more healthy pasta recipes or take a look at a few of my favorite spring vegetable recipes are this Creamy Orzo with Asparagus and Peas, Spring Pea Soup, and Asparagus Risotto.

I really like Dellalo Pasta! I few years ago I went on the trip of a lifetime to Rome and the Amalfi Coast near Naples, Italy—the middle of authentic Italian pasta manufacturing. While there we toured the oldest pasta factory in Italy, situated in southern city of Gragnano within the Campania region of Italy. It’s situated between the coast and the mountains—the best location for making and drying pasta, which also happens to be where they manufacture Dellalo Pasta. On the tour, we visited the mill where Dellalo’s wheat is ground (grain has been milled because the 1200’s). That is my pasta brand of selection when cooking for friends or family.

Pesto Pasta Ingredients

• Basil Pesto Ingredients: Fresh basil, arugula, garlic, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, pistachios, olive oil
• Pasta: You’ll need 10 ounces of whole-wheat Delallo fusilli, or some other short pasta.
• Asparagus: Cut a half pound of asparagus into small pieces.
• Peas: Thaw frozen peas.
• Arugula: The remaining arugula is served with the pasta.
• Olive Oil and Lemon to drizzle over the arugula
• Garnish: The remainder of the pistachios, more parmesan, and crushed red pepper flakes should you want just a little heat

The right way to Make Pesto Pasta

1. Make the Basil Pesto: Mix the basil, half cup of arugula, garlic, parmesan, a half teaspoon of salt, juice from one lemon half, and a tablespoon of pistachios in a food processor or blender. Scrape the perimeters of the processor, after which add three tablespoons of oil, separately, pulsing and scraping the perimeters to mix as needed.
2. Cook the Pasta and Vegetables: Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook based on the package directions. One minute before it’s done, throw within the asparagus and peas
3. and cook for the last minute. Scoop out a few quarter cup of pasta water. Next, drain the pasta and veggies.
4. Mix the Pasta with Pesto: Transfer the pasta mixture to a big bowl and stir within the pesto. Add a tablespoon of pasta water separately until the sauce is smooth and the pasta is well coated.
5. Serve: Layer the remaining arugula into five shallow bowls or a big serving platter. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon half over the greens, then drizzle with olive oil. Spoon the pasta over the arugula, and garnish with the remaining pistachios, more cheese, and red pepper flakes.

What goes with pesto pasta?

You may eat this vegetarian pesto pasta as a whole meal because it’s full of veggies. If you would like to add a protein, listed here are some ideas:

The right way to Store Pesto Pasta

This easy pesto pasta will last as long as 4 days within the fridge. Microwave the pasta until warm and serve over arugula and top with pistachios and cheese.

Variations

• Pesto: In the event you need a more traditional pesto, use this basil pesto recipe as an alternative. Make a double the batch, and save half for other recipes throughout the week. This pesto sauce is great on zoodles, burgers, and chicken.
• Protein: Add shrimp or chicken to the pesto pasta.
• Gluten-Free: Swap whole-wheat pasta with gluten-free.

More Pesto Recipes You’ll Love

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Yield: 5 servings

Serving Size: 1 1/2 generous cups

• Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil.

• Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender (I used my mini processor), add the basil, ½ cup of the arugula, the garlic, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, juice from ½ lemon and 1 tablespoon pistachios.

• Pulse to cut, scraping the perimeters of the processor or blender as needed, to evenly mix. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing and scraping the perimeters to mix as needed.

• When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook based on package instructions. One minute before the pasta is finished, add the asparagus and peas and proceed cooking the pasta with the veggies for the remaining 1 minute.

• Fastidiously scoop out about ¼ cup of the pasta water then drain pasta and veggies.

• Transfer the pasta and veggies to a big bowl then add the pesto.  Toss to mix.  Add the reserved pasta water, about 1 tablespoon at a time, gently mixing to mix, until sauce is smooth and pasta is well coated.

• Layer the remaining arugula, about 1 cup each in the underside of 5 shallow bowls or on a big serving platter.

• Squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon half over the arugula then drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil.  Top with the pasta (about 1 ½ cups each if serving in individual bowls) then garnish with remaining pistachios and more cheese and pepper flakes (if using). You may eat this warm or cold.

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*check labels for vegetarian

Serving: 1 1/2 generous cups, Calories: 380 kcal, Carbohydrates: 52 g, Protein: 14 g, Fat: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 245 mg, Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 6 g

This recipe is sponsored by Delallo. Thanks for allowing me to share the products I really like, which let you get these recipes without cost.