Creamy Spinach Pesto on Whole Grain Pasta
Serve this deliciously creamy pasta as a side to your meat of choice, such as chicken or a savory steak.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, olive oil or your favorite oil, divided
- ¾ cup onion, medium diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 4 cups raw spinach (or 2/3 cup frozen)
- 2 cups fresh basil (or 2 tablespoons dried basil)
- ½ cup cannellini beans (or other white bean) ⅓ cup pistachios
- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese, grated or shredded
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper (can use black pepper)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ⅓ cup pasta water, divided
- 1 package (16 ounces) dry whole grain rotini macaroni or other pasta of choice
Directions
In a small frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil until translucent. Set aside.
Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water to create an ice bath and set aside. In a large pot, bring the water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the spinach and basil. Let the greens boil for one minute. Transfer greens to the previously prepared ice bath using tongs. Do not drain the water as it will be used to cook the pasta. Add dry pasta to the boiling water, following the cooking time listed on the package for that particular type of pasta. When pasta is finished cooking, strain from the water, remembering to save some pasta water. Prepare the sauce using a blender.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the spinach, kale and basil, half of the ⅓ cup of pasta water and the sauteed onions and garlic. Blend the mixture. Next, add the white beans and nonfat Greek yogurt, blending again until smooth. Finally, add the pistachios, white pepper, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, Parmesan cheese and remaining pasta water and blend until smooth.
Add sauce to the cooked pasta. Additional pasta water can be added at this time to thin the sauce further if desired.
Optional: top with additional Parmesan cheese, Greek yogurt, your favorite oil, basil, salt or red chili flakes before serving.
