Freshness and decadence combine to create this perfect plant-based pasta dish: Easy Spinach Pesto Spaghetti. For a deliciously simple yet healthy weeknight dinner, you can’t go wrong!

The pesto is made with cup after cup of fresh spinach, along with toasted walnuts, fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper and nutritional yeast (adds tons of cheesy, nutty flavor + nutrients like folate and B vitamins). To finish the dish, we served it with simple roasted broccoli and green peas.

Prepare for this Easy Spinach Pesto Spaghetti to become one of your family’s new favorite recipes!

INGREDIENTS

4-5 handfuls baby spinach
10 large basil leaves
1 cup halved walnuts, toasted
3 garlic cloves, peeled & roughly chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup olive oil + extra for drizzling onto the broccoli
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
8 oz. spaghetti of choice (we used gluten-free Banza Spaghetti made from chickpeas)
2 heads broccoli, chopped into small florets
12 oz. bag of frozen peas
Onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper, to taste

Easy Spinach Pesto Spaghetti | OKC Veggie

STEPS

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a small pan over high heat (no oil needed). Add the halved walnuts and toast, tossing constantly, for 1.5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2) Add the toasted walnuts, spinach, basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil and nutritional yeast to a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt/pepper if needed. Set aside.

3) Bring a large pot of water to boil for the spaghetti. Meanwhile, place the broccoli florets onto a lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper as desired. Roast the broccoli in the over for 10 minutes, remove and toss, then roast for another 10 minutes.

4) Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta back to the pot it was cooking in and add a splash of pasta water. Use a spatula to scrape some of the pesto onto the spaghetti, gradually adding a bit more pasta water as you go to help the pesto coat the spaghetti and combine into a creamy sauce. Continue to toss the spaghetti as you gradually add the pasta water and pesto until you’ve achieved your desired pasta/sauce ratio. You may end up with pesto/pasta water leftover.

5) Cook the peas according to package directions. Plate the pasta by topping it with peas and serving it alongside the broccoli.