Pesto Pasta with Arugula, Asparagus, Peas, and Pistachios
Indulge in this vibrant and nutritious Pesto Pasta featuring a delightful combination of arugula, asparagus, peas, and crunchy pistachios. It's a dish that bursts with freshness and flavor, making it simply irresistible!
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 5 ½ cups baby arugula
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small lemon
- 3 tablespoon roasted and shelled pistachios
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 10 ounces whole-wheat Delallo fusilli
- ½ pound fresh asparagus
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peas
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with water, adding a generous amount of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
- 2
In the meantime, take your food processor or blender (I opted for my compact processor) and combine the basil, ½ cup of arugula, garlic, Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, the juice from ½ a lemon, and 1 tablespoon of pistachios.
- 3
Blend the mixture until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary for an even consistency. Gradually incorporate 3 tablespoons of olive oil, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, while pulsing and scraping the sides to ensure everything is well mixed.
- 4
Once the water reaches a boil, add the pasta and cook it according to the instructions on the package. One minute before the pasta is fully cooked, toss in the asparagus and peas, allowing them to cook together for that last minute.
- 5
Carefully reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables.
- 6
Place the drained pasta and vegetables into a large mixing bowl, then stir in the prepared pesto. Mix thoroughly, adding the reserved pasta water gradually, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly.
- 7
Arrange the remaining arugula, roughly 1 cup each, in the bottom of 5 shallow bowls or on a sizable serving platter.
- 8
Squeeze the juice from the leftover half lemon over the arugula and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Spoon the pasta on top (approximately 1 ½ cups per individual bowl) and finish with the remaining pistachios, additional cheese, and red pepper flakes (if desired). This dish can be enjoyed either warm or cold.
Nutrition Information
Notes & Tips
- *check labels for vegetarian
- *check labels for vegetarian