Pea Pesto Rotini with Roasted Carrots
Pea Pesto Rotini with roasted carrots and basil is a fantastic spring pasta dish that comes together in a flash, making it a perfect veggie packed weeknight meal!
Ingredients
For the Pasta:
- 3-4 rainbow carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound rotini pasta egg-free for vegan
For the Pea Pesto:
- 1 cup fresh peas, blanched and cooled
- 1 1/2 cups packed basil
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 medium lemon juiced
- 1 pinch salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
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Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss carrots with olive oil and salt. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving up to 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water.
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Meanwhile, add basil, peas, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice and salt to a food processor. Blend to combine. While the machine is running, stream in olive oil through the spout.
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Continue blending, scraping down sides as needed, until smooth. Add a bit more olive oil or water if necessary to make blending easier. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
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Toss cooked pasta with roasted carrots and pea pesto sauce, adding a bit of pasta water if desired to thin out the sauce.
Recipe Notes
When you start blending the pesto, it will look as if it needs more liquid to come together.
However, start by scraping down the sides and keep on blending. Only add more liquid if really needed at this point.
When washing your herbs, use cold water, not warm. Warm water will wilt them. Dry them well in a salad spinner or between layers of kitchen towel.
Whichever nut you choose in your vegan pesto recipe, make sure you toast them first. Get out a small heavy bottom pan, add your nuts, put it over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until you can smell them.