This Pesto Pasta with Veggies is the only side dish you need to complete your meal. It's loaded with sauteed sweet mini peppers, broccolini, and is topped with plump heirloom cherry tomatoes, tossed in an herby homemade basil pesto that's made without pine nuts.

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Why this recipe works
- This recipe uses all fresh ingredients.
- Uses minimal ingredients some of which you may already have on hand.
- Pairs perfectly with different types of proteins like Grilled Flanken Short Ribs, Grilled BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, Braised Beef Short Ribs, or these Best Charcoal Grilled Chicken Wings or even this Lemon Garlic Broiled Salmon the possibilities are endless.
Ingredients
With just a short list of ingredients, you'll have the most delicious, vibrant, and veggie-rich salad in no time.
Ingredient Notes
- Feel free to use your favorite shaped pasta; however, you'll find that by using pasta shells the pesto gets trapped within the shape of the shell making for the most tastiest bite.
- If you're looking for ways to eat more vegetables, be intentional and load this pasta up with veggies.
- You can use regular or whole wheat pasta.
- If you're not in the mood to make your pesto from scratch, take a short cut and use your favorite store brand pesto but look at the ingredients to make sure quality ingredients are used.
- Free free to leave the cherry tomatoes whole or slice in half.
Substitutions
- Use walnuts instead of pine nuts for the pesto as in this recipe. You can also experiment and use other nuts such as cashews.
- Use broccoli instead of broccolini. You can also substitute the veggies that I have in this recipe to other veggies that you like.
- Use whole grain pasta instead of regular pasta.
- Use other shaped pasta instead of the pasta shells.
How to Make Basil Pesto Pasta With Veggies
This recipe turns ordinary pasta into a veggie loaded dish. Let's dive in.
- Remove the thick parts of the stems from the basil, gently rinse under cold water, then place in a salad spinner and gently spin to remove as much of the water as possible.
- Add basil, walnuts, and fresh garlic clove to blender and blend until walnuts are finely dropped.
- Then add extra virgin olive oil to the blender and blend until consistency is creamy.
- Season by first adding 1 teaspoon of kosher salt then add more if needed (season to taste).
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packaging. Then, drain the pasta. No need to rinse.
- Gather all your ingredients, wash your veggies and pat dry with paper towels.
- Remove the stems from your broccolini and slice your mini sweet peppers.
- In a saute pan, add a little extra virgin olive oil then add your broccolini and saute for 3 to 4 minutes remove from heat then place on clean plate.
- To the same saute pan, add in your sliced sweet mini peppers and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat add place on same plate as your sauteed broccolini.
- To a large bowl, and in all your ingredients but add the pesto FIRST.
- Serve warm or cover the bowl with plastic wrap until you're ready to serve.
FAQs
Absolutely, you can serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve. It make great leftovers as well.
Top Tips
- If serving this dish on it's own, top with a protein of your choice to make it more filling.
- Cook the pasta shells until 'al dente' to prevent them from being overcooked and tasting mushy.
- Make sure to pat dry your veggies thoroughly before sauteing and only saute for a few minutes, so you're veggies are still vibrant in color and crisp.
- If you follow a dairy-free diet, make sure that your pesto does not have any form of cheese as an ingredient.
- If after placing the pasta in the fridge for an extended amount of time and the pesto looks thick, stir in a couple of teaspoons of water to moisten things up.
Related Recipes
For more side dish recipes check these out.
📖 Recipe
Pesto Pasta With Veggies
Equipment
- 1 Blender or Nutribullet
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Saute pan or skillet
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Cutting board
Ingredients
Making Pesto Without Pine Nuts
- 4 oz fresh basil
- ¾ cup raw walnuts
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
The Pasta
- 2-⅔ cups pasta shells
- 3 bunches broccolini
- 1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 1-½ cups mini sweet peppers
Instructions
Making Pesto Without Pine Nuts
- Remove the thick parts of the stems from the basil, gently rinse under cold water, then place in a salad spinner and gently spin to remove as much of the water as possible.
- Add basil, walnuts, and fresh garlic clove to blender and blend until walnuts are finely dropped.
The Pasta
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packaging. Then, drain the pasta. No need to rinse.
- Gather all your ingredients, wash your veggies and pat dry with paper towels.
- Remove the stems from your broccolini and slice your mini sweet peppers.
- In a saute pan, add a little extra virgin olive oil then add your broccolini and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat then put on clean plate.
- To the same saute pan, add in your sliced sweet mini peppers and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and place on same plate as your sauteed broccolini.
- To a large bowl, and in all your ingredients but add your pesto in FIRST.
- Using a large spoon, gently toss all ingredients until they are well coated with the pesto and top with your cherry tomatoes.
- Serve warm or cover the bowl with plastic wrap until you're ready to serve.
Notes
- If serving this dish on it's own, top with a protein of your choice to make it more filling.
- Cook the pasta shells until 'al dente' to prevent them from being overcooked and tasting mushy.
- Make sure to pat dry your veggies thoroughly before sauteing and only saute for a few minutes, so you're veggies are still vibrant in color and crisp.
- If you follow a dairy-free diet, make sure that your pesto does not have any form of cheese as an ingredient.
- If after placing the pasta in the fridge for an extended amount of time and the pesto looks thick, stir in a couple of teaspoons of water to moisten things up.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.
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