Spinach Pesto Pasta
from kristineskitchenblog.com
This Spinach Pesto Pasta is a delicious pesto chicken pasta and a light and healthy meal with summer vegetables. The spinach and walnut pesto is easy to make and delicious on any pasta.
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 633kcal
For the Spinach Pesto:
- 3 cups fresh spinach loosely packed
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup walnuts toast them if you have time
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Pasta:
- ¾ pound green beans trimmed
- 8 ounces rotini pasta whole wheat preferred
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved
Make the Pesto:
Place all pesto ingredients except olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the processor running, add the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube and process until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Prepare the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place green beans in the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just crisp-tender. Use a slotted spoon to scoop green beans into a bowl of cold water. Keep water in pot at a boil. Remove green beans from cold water after a few minutes and place on a clean towel to dry.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water; drain pasta and return to the pot.
Line up the green beans a handful at a time and cut in half. Add beans and chicken to the pot with the pasta. Stir in the pesto, adding a little of the reserved pasta cooking water to help loosen the sauce as needed. Gently stir in the tomatoes.
The pasta is delicious warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Enjoy!
Serving: 1/4 recipe | Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 821mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3281IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 4mg
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