Summer Spaghetti With Basil Pesto
Gluten Free. Dairy Free Option. Vegetarian or Chicken Options
This is a wonderful end of summer pasta! Great for using your garden harvest! Simple ingredients like fresh cherry tomatoes, zucchini and spinach combine with a delicious herbal pesto for a fresh, light pasta dish! Eat as is for a wonderful vegan option, or feel free to add grilled chicken and/or feta cheese! This is a great meal to serve at a picnic with friends or at a family gathering!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Pasta Ingredients
400g Spaghetti Noodles (I used a “GoGo Quinoa Gluten Free Spaghetti Noodles)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or red onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3 handfuls of spinach
1/3 cup kalamata or green olives, sliced
Optional:
2 Chicken Breasts, grilled & diced
Feta cheese
Pesto Ingredients
2 cups fresh whole basil leaves (packed)
1/2 cup walnuts
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile make pesto: Place basil leaves, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast into a food processor. (I used a mini food processor). Blend until well mixed. You may need to stop halfway, scrap down the sides and blend again. Adjust salt & pepper to your desired taste.
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for an additional 5mins. Careful not to over cook otherwise they will get too “soggy.
Place drained pasta into a large serving bowl. Add sautéed onions and zucchini, along with tomatoes, spinach and pesto. Toss well to combine.
Tips:
For a lower carb option you could use spaghetti squash noodles or zucchini noodles. You can also use whatever type of pasta noodles you wish!
I really like the “GoGo Quinoa” noodles which are made of rice and quinoa. They have a great texture and flavour and are Non-GMO, Certified Gluten Free and Corn Free.
The measurements are loose! Feel free to add more or less of anything!
When making the pesto feel free to use half basil half parsley, and can sub pine nuts or pumpkin seeds in place of walnuts. I use ALL the pesto on this dish, but you could use less if that suits your fancy!