Asparagus Pesto Pasta Salad (Vegan)
- Ready In:
- 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 9
- Serves:
-
4-6
ingredients
- 2 lbs asparagus
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1⁄4 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaf
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 lb penne or 1 lb other pastas
- salt and pepper
- nutritional yeast
directions
- Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the asparagus spears.
- Cook until just tender, about 4 minutes.
- Without emptying the water from the pot, lift out the asparagus spears and set aside to cool slightly.
- Bring the water back to a boil.
- Add salt, if needed, and add pasta.
- Cook until the pasta is al dente.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, and drain and rinse the pasta with cool water.
- Put into a serving bowl.
- Trim off the top 3 or 4 inches of the asparagus spears, and put the tips into the bowl with the pasta.
- Cut the bottoms into several pieces, and set aside to use in the pesto sauce.
- Use a food processor to make the pesto: With the processor running, drop in the garlic cloves and allow them to chop. Add 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and pulse to chop. Add the lemon juice, basil, salt, and the asparagus pieces (not the tips!) along with 4-6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. (Start with 4 tablespoons water and add more as needed.) Puree until smooth.
- Toss the pasta and asparagus tips with the pesto, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts or nutritional yeast, and serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve.
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