Looking for a quick, healthy, and scrumptious meal? This tangy twist on classic pesto features parsley and lime, and will be ready in the blink of an eye. In my opinion, this is much better than store-bought pesto – it’s fresh, nutritious, and packed with flavour. This meal takes as long to prepare as your pasta needs to cook. Mine was ready to dig into within 15 minutes of entering my kitchen. Plus, it’s completely vegan and dairy-free, making it a go-to quick plant-based meal. I’ll definitely be adding this to my regular recipe rotation. I hope it’ll get you coming back again and again too. What are you waiting for? Click here to jump straight to the recipe.
The key ingredients in this parsley pesto
Parsley instead of Basil
In place of classic fresh basil, this simple homemade pesto is made with a generous bunch of flatleaf parsley, giving it a bright flavour. On the nutrition side, parsley is a healthy herb to eat regularly as it’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K. It also adds a vibrant green hue to the sauce.
Nutty Goodness with Pine Nuts
Toasting the pine nuts enhances their natural nuttiness, making this pesto rich and creamy without the need for dairy. Pine nuts are also a great source of healthy fats and provide a buttery texture.
Nutritional Yeast for a Cheesy Twist
Nutritional yeast does a good job of substituting the parmesan, which is traditionally added to classic pesto. It adds a cheesy, nutty flavour without the need for dairy. Nutritional yeast is one of my go-to pantry items not only for its flavour but also because it’s packed with B vitamins (many brands are fortified with B12 as well as other B vitamins). Nutritional yeast, or “nooch” as it is often called, has a lovely umami taste that takes this pesto to the next level.
Lime Juice – A Tangy Zing
Adding lime juice brightens up this sauce, balancing the richness of the nuts and extra virgin olive oil. Lime juice also helps to bring out the vibrant green colour of the parsley. You can use yellow lemon instead of lime for a softer acidity, if you prefer.
How to Make the Best Parsley Pesto
Making this parsley pesto is incredibly easy. Start by boiling your favourite pasta – I recommend wholewheat “mezzi rigatoni” pasta (a type of pasta in the shape of small tubes). It has a hearty texture and the pesto gets well distributed inside and outside the tubes. due to the shape of the pasta. As a general rule, I always choose wholewheat pasta as it’s the healthiest option. You can, of course, choose any type of pasta you prefer.
While the pasta is cooking, start by toasting your pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown. This step adds a deep, nutty flavour essential for a good pesto. The rest is easy, just blend up all the pesto ingredients until smooth.
Pro Tips:
- Use a splash of pasta cooking water when blending to bind all the ingredients together. It’ll help with the consistency of your pesto.
- Add a couple of ice cubes to the blender which will help produce a creamy sauce.
- For a more intense flavour, let the pesto sit for a few minutes before serving.
Why Parsley Pesto is Good for You
Parsley is more than just a garnish, it’s a nutrient-packed herb with numerous health benefits. Eating parsley regularly helps support your immune system, bone health, and digestion. It’s a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that can help reduce your risk of chronic disease and improve overall well-being. It also freshens breath, detoxifies the body, and promotes healthy skin.
Pine nuts and olive oil provide healthy fats that are good for your heart. Nutritional yeast is a fantastic source of plant-based protein and B-vitamins. And because this recipe is dairy-free, it’s lower in saturated fats compared to traditional pesto.
Alternative Ingredients:
- Nuts: If you’re out of pine nuts, you can use walnuts or almonds instead.
- Lime Juice: Substitute with lemon juice for a slightly different flavour profile.
- Pasta: Swap wholewheat pasta for gluten-free options if needed.
Watch the Step-by-Step Video
Want to see how it’s done? Check out our step-by-step video on making this easy parsley pesto. It’s perfect for visual learners and gives you a chance to cook along with me. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more plant-based cooking inspiration!
The Recipe: Easy Parsley Pesto Pasta
Ready to cook? Here’s the full recipe below. I’d love to hear how your pesto turned out or any variations you’ve tried! So, leave me a comment below.
Easy Parsley Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- Generous bunch of flatleaf parsley
- 30 g pinenuts
- 1 ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Reserve one small cup of pasta cooking water for the pesto
- 200 g wholewheat pasta tubes such as mezzi rigatoni
- ½ tsp salt for the pasta cooking water
Instructions
- Heat up a large saucepan of water until boiling. Add a teaspoon of salt and pour in the pasta. Simmer according to the package instructions until cooked (for example, the pasta I used took 13 minutes to cook).
- Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan on medium heat and add the pinenuts to the dry pan. Toast the pinenuts for around 5 minutes until browned, tossing regularly to toast all sides. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside to cool.
- Chop up the parsley roughly, peel the garlic cloves and juice the lime.
- Add the parsley, pinenuts, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to a blender. Pulse and blend on high until it forms a paste. Stop to scrape down the sides with a spatula if needed.
- Add a dash of the pasta cooking water into the blender to help bind the pesto together. Blend again and add extra pasta cooking water until the desired consistency is reached.
- Drain the cooked pasta and pour the pesto over it. Mix until it’s well coated and serve immediately.
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