Quinoa Pesto With Vegetables

This time of year is so hectic.  That is why I like to make meals that are quick.  This dish is just that.  I make a batch of pesto and then freeze it in ice trays so that I can pop out and defrost only what I need. This meal comes together is a matter of minutes.

It’s filling and very nutritious!  Quinoa is a plant based complete protein and I just like it’s taste better than whole wheat pastas.  It is also a great option for those that are gluten free.My kids like the quinoa pasta much better too.  If you are looking to swap out white flour pasta for something healthier, this would be a great option to try first.

Quinoa Pesto With Vegetables

Quinoa Pesto With Vegetables

Ingredients

    For the pesto

    • 1 cup fresh basil
    • 1 cup fresh parsley
    • 1/2 cup almonds (I use almonds because pine nuts are so expensive)
    • 3-4 garlic cloves rough chopped
    • 2 T nutritional yeast
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • salt to taste

    For the pasta

    • 1 pkg quinoa pasta
    • 3 cups spinach
    • 1 1/2 cups broccoli
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced

    Instructions

      For the pesto

      1. Grind the almonds up a bit in the food processor first. 
      2. Then add the basil, parsley, nutritional yeast and garlic. 
      3. As you process those, drizzle in the oil until everything is well mixed.

      For the pasta

      1. Cook pasta according to pkg instructions. 
      2. In a large sauce pan, add the broccoli with a little bit of water. 
      3. Cover and cook on medium just long enough for the broccoli to soften.  Once it has cooked, add the spinach and cover again, giving it time to wilt. 
      4. Once wilted, add the pesto and the pasta and toss together. 
      5. Turn off heat and add the tomatoes. 
      6. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.  Hope you like it as much as we do!

      by

      Subscribe
      Join more than 35,000 subscribers and start gettiing free recipes direct to your inbox!

      You may also like

      31 thoughts to “Quinoa Pesto With Vegetables”

      1. Thanks for sharing your healthy recipes. Its hard to find recipes that my whole family will enjoy. I have printed off some and eager to try them.
      2. That recipe looks delicious!! I've never used quinoa pasta before so something to look forward to. So glad I found your website; I have really enjoyed reading your recipes! We are not a Vegan family, but I really like that you avoid sugar in your recipes. Something we all could use a lot less of. Thank you for sharing your recipes and exposing the nasty stuff in processed foods!
        1. I am happy to hear that you are enjoying the blog! I think most of my reader's are not vegan, just into eating healthy. I am not the type of vegan that makes meat eaters feel guilty. To each his own. I am more about overall health, whatever that may be :)
        1. Nutritional yeast is a flaky yeast that has a nutty, cheesy flavor. It is very healthy and a good source of B vitamins, fiber and protein. In this dish, it helps give a cheesy flavor that is plant based. If you eat cheese, you can use real cheese as well.
          1. Thanks! I'm going to attempt this recipe :D I eat cheese but I'm working on changing the way I feed my family and myself. We moved to a new state just recently so I've gotta figure out who sells that.
            1. Just a warning, people either love it or hate it. I happen to love it. When all else fails, you can get it on Amazon. I think Whole Foods may sell it in bulk though. That way, you could only purchase what you need. I hope you like the recipe!
      3. Just made this. It's great! I'm on my second helping, it's very filling. Your recipes are so good, it makes eating clean so easy! Thanks!
      4. I just made this for the third time and it's soooo gooood! The tomatoes really bring out the flavor of the pasta. I've started making extra servings so I can eat some for lunch for the next couple of days.
          1. I really do love it! Thank you for taking the time to do your blog. You're one of my first clean eating 'teachers' and someone I rely on when it comes to cooking clean recipes :)
            1. And can I just say that I ate this at around 5pm and am still full almost 6 hours later? It's bedtime and I'm not tempted to eat a thing. So yay for that and your awesome recipes!
      5. This looks amazing! Making it tomorrow.In the past few months I've gone vegan and it has totally changed my life. Your blog is my favorite..my whole family loves recipes! Keep up the great work!
      6. Making this tonight with quinoa, but putting quinoa pasta on my grocery list... Haven't yet tried it. Always inspiring new ways to cook - thank you!

      Leave a Reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *