How can pasta be healthy? I’ll show you how with this quick and easy creamy pesto pasta. It’s the perfect healthy dish that can be made in just 30 minutes! This delicious pasta is packed with flavor and both dairy and gluten-free pasta.
Ingredients:
Sauce:
300 grams, or 10 ounces, Pack Of Tofu
1 Cup Of Basil Leaves
½ Cup Of Dairy-Free Parmesan Cheese
½ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Of Olive Oil
¼ Teaspoon Of Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Of Salt
1 Tablespoons Of Lightly Salted Pistachios
1 Tablespoon Of Nutritional Yeast
¼ Teaspoon Of Black Pepper
½ Cup Of Pasta Water
Pasta:
199 grams, or 7 Ounces, Of Chickpea Pasta
3 Red Sweet Peppers
1 Head Of Broccoli
Method:
– To make our pesto, place 1 cup of basil leaves, ½ cup of dairy-free parmesan, ½ cup of oil cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lightly salted pistachios, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin in a food processor. Blend until you get a fine and slightly chunky consistency. Then add 10.5 ounces of soft tofu, 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Blend until it becomes a creamy sauce.
– Cut one head of broccoli into florets and 3 sweet red peppers into rings then toss them into a hot skillet with some olive oil. Cook until soft and slightly charred.
– To cook your pasta fill a heavy-bottomed pot with water, salt the water, add a splash of oil, and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling add your pasta noodles and cook for 7 minutes.
– When your pasta is done add it to your veggies. Then mix in your creamy pesto sauce, ¼ cup of dairy-free parmesan cheese, and ½ cup of that pasta water. Allow to cook for another two minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Director and Host: Brittany Leigh Turnbull
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Pesto packs a lot of flavor in one sauce. No wonder it’s a go-to pasta pairing. But for some people, pesto can be a real headache. Take me for example, I’m allergic to dairy, garlic, and almonds. All of which are popular pesto ingredients. That’s why I created this pistachio pesto. This recipe replicates all the iconic flavors of traditional pesto but makes it garlic-free, dairy-free, and almond-free. And let me tell you, this pesto is so full of flavor that by combining it with a few secret ingredients I can create the best-tasting protein-packed pasta you’ve ever had. You heard that right protein packed! Each serving contains a whole 28 grams of protein. That’s over 1 and a half cups of black beans, 4 and a half eggs, or 93 almonds – Talk about a nutcase. This recipe is a lot easier than you’d think and it comes together in less than 30 minutes. In a food processor, put 1 cup of basil, 1 tablespoon of lightly salted pistachios, 1/4 cup of dairy-free parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 cup of olive oil. Oh and, of course, salt. There’s no need to chop anything just place it in here and blend until you get this consistency. You can go finer than this, but stopping here gives you a nice texture. Talking about texture, obviously, pistachios aren’t almonds but almonds aren’t walnuts! And walnuts aren’t pine nuts! Pesto changes depending on the region it’s from and the ingredients change with it. And while pine nuts may be the overall favorite, almonds have been making a big comeback in online recipes. But what’s important is that ALL of these ingredients serve the same purpose: they all provide texture. This is why pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, heck even pumpkin seeds all work. Once you know the why behind an ingredient the possibilities are endless. If you found that interesting make sure to smash that like and subscribe button so I know you want more recipes like this. Now how are we shoving 28 grams of protein into this pasta? Seems like a tall order if you ask me. Or it would if I didn’t have one – or two – secret ingredients. Meet chickpea pasta and soft tofu. You know, tofu sauces have been a huge hit lately. Which isn’t surprising; they’re a healthy alternative to the traditional cream sauce and they contain a crazy amount of protein. 8 grams per serving — in just a sauce. Chickpea pasta is no slacker either. Each serving contains 24 grams of protein and did I mention it’s gluten-free? Yup, this recipe is dairy-free, garlic-free, almond-free, and gluten-free. Rest assured there’s plenty of flavor. In your food processor or a blender, place your pesto, soft tofu, 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, a half teaspoon of black pepper, and, of course, salt. Blend until it becomes a smooth sauce. Then place to the side and grab yourself some veggies. I’m using a head of broccoli and some sweet red peppers. These are going to give our pasta a nice pop of color. The best way to cut your broccoli for minimum fall out is like this. Stick it on its head and in a circular motion cut one large floret at a time. Then cut those down the stem until you’re left with pieces that look like this. Our peppers aren’t nearly our fancy. Just cut them into rings and you’re good to go. Toss your veggies into a hot skillet with some olive oil and cook until soft and lightly charred. Now chickpea pasta doesn’t require anything special voodoo magic when it comes to cooking. Seriously, cook it just like regular pasta. Fill a pot with water, the all-important salt, a splash of oil, and bring everything to a boil. Then toss in your pasta and let it do its thing for 7 minutes. This is such an easy way to sneak more protein in your diet. Seriously, it’s such a no-brainer even this blender could do it. It won’t cause it’s a blender. But it could… When your pasta is done add it to your veggies, along with your creamy pesto sauce, ¼ cup of dairy-free parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup of that pasta water. Allow to cook for another two minutes before serving. This is one of my favorite quick meals. It can be made in just 30 minutes and it’s packed with protein. Also, did I mention it just tastes SO good? From my kitchen to yours. Eat happy!