Greek Pesto Pasta
I’m currently really loving all things pasta and, as no surprise to any of you, still addicted to the flavor profile of Greek food. In an effort to combine these flavors with the comfort of a bowl of pasta, I decided to make a Greek pesto pasta. Pesto is one of my favorite types of pasta; it provides the delicious rib warming experience of a typical pasta dish while also keeping it a bit light and fresh. I was having two of my girlfriends over for dinner post our podcast recording, and I decided to experiment in the kitchen to serve them a new dish (since they’ve slowly made their way through all of my kitchen creations over our 15+ years of friendship!). Given that one is not a meat eater and I’m not eating a ton of chicken, I decided to go the vegetarian route with the option of adding some seafood of sorts for protein.
The dish I created and filmed for Do That Ish is this vegetarian Greek pesto pasta. It is perfect to serve for a group dinner, to pack for a meal prepped lunch option, or to enjoy as a dinner side alongside your choice of protein. Personally, we decided to enjoy with my chili lime salmon (which is included in this recipe) and boy was it amazing! To make this recipe, it just requires a few steps.
First up, as always when making any recipe that includes a grain or seed that needs to be cooked, make the pasta. I decided to use these brown rice pasta spirals that I love so much, but it would also be delicious with any type of pasta. While the pasta is cooking, it is time to make the homemade pesto. In this recipe I include avocado for the creaminess, walnuts for a bit of texture and flavor (although you can sub with any other nut you prefer), basil, and leftover carrot top leaves. I really only used these because I had them on hand, but why not! Give these babies a purpose instead of throwing directly into the compost bin. This is by no means a requirement for this recipe, but just an idea if you have some leftover greens or herbs sitting around! Throw all of those ingredients into your blender or food processor, I prefer to use my Mealthy tool, along with olive oil and pecorino or parmesan cheese. Blend on high until it forms a somewhat thin yet creamy consistency and set aside.
For the “fillings” of sorts, I included feta cheese (specifically, this Mt. Vikos sheeps & goat milk), pitted Kalamata olives, and grape tomatoes. If you’re not into those ingredients, take them out! If you’re interested in adding something else like red onion or cucumber, throw it in! Once the pasta is cooked, pour it into a large mixing bowl and add in the pesto sauce. Mix well and combine so that the pasta is evenly coated. Next, throw in the chopped olives, feta, and tomato and mix together. Serve as is or top with a protein of your choice!
Greek Pesto Pasta
ingredients:
- Basil (1 cup)
- Avocado (1)
- Lime (1)
- Grape tomatoes (1 cup)
- Leftover vegetable leaves, if available – I chose carrot tops (1/2 cup)
- Pecorino or parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)
- Feta (3/4 cup)
- Walnuts (3/4 cup)
- Olive oil (2/3 cup)
- Pasta of your choice (1 12oz bag)
- Pitted Kalamata olives (1/2 cup)
- Salt
- Pepper
instructions:
How to cook Greek Pesto Pasta
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add in the pasta, and cook according to the instructions on the box/bag
- In a blender or food processor, combine 1 cup basil, any other leftover vegetable leaves, 1 avocado, ¾ cup walnuts, juice of 1 lime, ¼ cup of pecorino or cheese, 2/3 cup of olive oil, and salt and pepper
- Blend on high until the mixture becomes a creamy consistency and there are no chunks and set aside
- Slice the grape tomatoes in half, chop the olives, and cut the feta into small pieces (if it is not crumbled) and set all aside
- Strain the pasta and pour it into a large mixing bowl
- Add the pesto to the bowl and combine to coat the pasta with the sauce
- Add in the chopped feta, olives, and tomato and mix to combine well
- Serve as is or top with a protein of your choice
- Gluten Free (depending on pasta)
- Vegetarian
- Soy Free