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Home » Recipes » Pasta

Artichoke Pesto Pasta

Published: May 25, 2023 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 2 Comments

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This artichoke pesto pasta is an elevated version of the classic recipe, with that delightful tang from artichokes. It's quick and easy to make for a vegan weeknight meal and comes together in less than 30 minutes!

Have a peek at my ricotta and pesto pasta and my roasted red pepper pasta for more tasty meal ideas!

artichoke pesto pasta in a light grey bowl with a fork in it next to basil leaves, artichoke hearts and garlic.

You may have noticed that pesto is one of my favorite things to make, and it seems to be with you guys too as my chicken pesto risotto and air fryer pesto chicken thighs are always so popular with readers! It's a tasty sauce that can be used in so many ways and packs a punch with all that fragrant herb and garlic flavor.

This pesto and artichoke pasta is a super simple weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! It uses traditional pesto ingredients of pine nuts, basil, olive oil and garlic but adds in earthy artichokes for added delicious flavor. I think this vegan pasta with artichoke hearts will fast become a family favorite!

Do check out my vegetarian pesto pasta recipe for another tasty meal idea!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why this Recipe is so Good
  • 🌿 Ingredients
  • 📖 Swaps and Variations
  • 🔪 Step By Step Instructions
  • 💭 Expert Recipe Tips and Notes
  • 📋 Frequently Asked Questions
  • 🍽 How to Serve Artichoke Pesto Pasta
  • 📋 Freezing Advice
  • 🥘 More Pesto Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why this Recipe is so Good

All the pesto flavor. Pesto always adds so much flavor to a dish, and this pesto pasta with artichoke hearts is no exception!

Minimal ingredients. We don't need to many items to make this pasta dish and many are pantry staples.

Quick and easy. This is the easy weeknight meal for pasta night, taking less than 30 minutes to come together!

🌿 Ingredients

individually labelled basil, spaghetti, artichoke hearts, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.

Some notes on a few of them:

  • Artichoke hearts - I suggest to use canned artichoke hearts in water, rather than marinated artichokes. Alternatively, you can prepare and then roast or steam fresh artichokes yourself. This post on preparing artichokes by Jamie Oliver should be helpful.
  • Basil - be sure to use fresh basil leaves without any bruising, and definitely not dried basil!
  • Pine nuts - these give the pesto its substance. You can simply use as they are, but giving them a light dry toast brings out the nutty flavor.
  • Spaghetti - while I like to use spaghetti, you can always swap out for penne or fusilli if you prefer!

📖 Swaps and Variations

Swap pine nuts for another nut or seed. There are many options to try, including pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and pistachios to make your pesto! You may like to see my pumpkin seed pesto and my macadamia pesto, or my post on alternatives to pine nuts in pesto for even more ideas!

Swap apple cider vinegar for lemon juice. If citrus works for you, then you can add a squeeze of lemon juice (likely not suitable for those looking for low histamine diet recipes).

Use gluten free pasta or a pasta alternative. There are many options that will work for this artichoke heart pasta recipe, including quinoa and brown rice pasta if wheat isn't for you.

🔪 Step By Step Instructions

Making this artichoke pesto pasta is very simple, and has just a few easy steps.

All the instructions are set out in the recipe card below, but these photos should help guide you.

pine nuts in a grey skillet labelled number one.

Step 1: Toast pine nuts

Tip the pine nuts into a dry skillet (without oil) and toast on a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they have some light browning (image 1).

cooked spaghetti pasta in a colander on a stove top labelled number two.

Step 2: Cook pasta

Cook your spaghetti or other pasta according to packet instructions in lightly salted water, reserving some pasta water (image 2).

Recipe tip: be sure to reserve some of the pasta water (about half a cup) as we will be using it to thin the pesto sauce.

artichoke hearts, basil and garlic in a blender cup labelled number three.

Step 3: Make the artichoke pesto

Add the artichoke hearts, olive oil, basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and 2 tablespoon of pasta water to a blender. Blend, give it a taste test, and adjust with more basil, garlic or artichokes to taste (image 3).

artichoke pesto pasta in a pan on a stove top labelled number four.

Step 4: Combine the pesto pasta

Drain your pasta in a colander then tip back into your pan. Spoon in the pesto sauce and stir through the pasta. Heat on low for a few minutes, if required. Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time to thin the sauce if you prefer (image 4).

💭 Expert Recipe Tips and Notes

  • When preparing the pesto, pack the basil leaves into your measuring cup. We want lots of herb flavor! On a previous recipe test I used less, and it didn't have quite as much flavor as I think it needed.
  • Toasting the pine nuts is optional, but does give an extra nutty taste.
  • Adjust the pesto to preference with more pasta water if you prefer a thinner consistency.
  • This recipe makes a generous amount of pesto (we all like different amounts don't we!). You can freeze any extra for another meal!

📋 Frequently Asked Questions

Which type of artichoke is best to use for pesto pasta?

Artichoke hearts are a good option for making pesto, and come pre-prepared in a can of water. They are soft enough to blend easily with the other pesto ingredients.

Which type of pasta is best for pesto pasta?

You can use many types of pasta for pesto pasta, including spaghetti, fusilli and penne.

What can I add to my pasta dish?

As it is, this is a vegan artichoke pasta but if you wish you can easily add some torn mozzarella, cooked diced chicken or turkey.

Why has my pesto turned brown?

Pesto with basil leaves needs to be used fairly quickly as it can brown or turn a dull green. This is due to oxidation of the basil leaves.

🍽 How to Serve Artichoke Pesto Pasta

  • Enjoy this pasta as it is, or with a light salad such as my apple cucumber salad or my fennel cucumber dill salad, which are both good choices for summer.
  • Choose a hot vegetable side dish such as my warm romaine lettuce or air fried bok choy.
  • Pour yourself a fun mocktail to make your meal feel a little more fancy! My lychee mint mocktail, sparkling passion fruit mocktail and sparkling blueberry mocktail are all tasty options.

📋 Freezing Advice

If you wish to do some meal prep, then this recipe can be helpful for a make ahead dinner (kind-of!). While I don't suggest making the pasta and freezing the entire meal (pasta doesn't reheat too well), the sauce alone freezes very well. Simply thaw and stir into freshly cooked pasta for an easy dinner!

artichoke pesto pasta in a light grey bowl next to olive oil, artichoke hearts and basil leaves.

🥘 More Pesto Recipes

If pesto is your thing, then you'll find lots of tasty options here using the bold flavors of herbs, garlic and either nuts or seeds, such as my pesto and broccoli pasta and my sheet pan chicken pesto. Some more ideas:

  • pesto chicken quinoa bowl in a light grey bowl next to cutlery, blue cloth and small bowl of fresh basil leaves.
    Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls
  • baked cod with pesto on tabbouleh on a cream plate with a fork on it.
    Baked Cod with Pesto
  • coriander pesto pasta in a light grey bowl with a fork next to a bunch of coriander and bowl of pumpkin seeds.
    Coriander Pesto Pasta
  • pesto Brussels sprouts in a white bowl next to a bowl of pesto, garlic cloves and basil leaves.
    Pesto Brussels Sprouts

I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

artichoke pesto pasta in a light grey bowl topped with basil leaves and artichoke hearts.

Artichoke Pesto Pasta

Claire
Deliciously creamy, this vegan pasta with artichoke pesto is full of flavor and perfect for an easy weeknight meal!
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 17 minutes mins
Total Time 27 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American, Chinese, Italian
Servings 2 servings
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Skillet
  • Colander

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 ounces spaghetti or other pasta
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ½ cup basil leaves tightly packed
  • 4 artichoke hearts* drained, rinsed
  • ⅛ cup olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • pinch salt
  • pinch black pepper

Optional toppings

  • 2 artichoke hearts
  • basil leaves

Instructions
 

  • Tip the pine nuts into a dry skillet (without oil) and lightly toast on a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly browned.
  • Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions in lightly salted water so that it is al dente. Reserve about half a cup of the pasta water.
  • Add the artichoke hearts, pine nuts, basil leaves (reserve a few for garnish), olive oil, garlic and apple cider vinegar to a blender, along with 2 tablespoon of the pasta water. Blend to a smooth pesto sauce. If the sauce is thicker than you like, add more pasta water and blend again.
  • Optional: heat olive oil in your skillet and warm through halved artichoke hearts to use a topping.
  • Drain your pasta in a colander and return to the pan. Stir through the artichoke pesto sauce. You can add a tablespoon more pasta water to thin if you like.
  • Use tongs to transfer the pasta to your bowls. Season with salt and black pepper, and artichoke hearts and basil leaves to preference.

Notes

*I use canned artichokes hearts in water. If you wish, you can prepare and then steam or roast fresh artichokes yourself then add to the pesto.
  • When preparing the pesto, pack the basil leaves into your measuring cup. We want lots of herb flavor!
  • Toasting the pine nuts is optional, but does give an extra nutty taste.
  • Adjust the pesto to preference with more pasta water.
  • This recipe gives a generous amount of pesto. You can freeze any extra for another meal!
  • If making ahead, you can make the sauce separately and freeze. When reheating you may need to add a touch of extra pasta water. I don't recommend to make and freeze the complete dish with the pasta.
  • Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance
All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
  • pasta (wheat) which scores 1. You can use alternative or gluten free pasta if you prefer.
  • artichokes score 0 but this would be fresh produce. If canned doesn't work for you then prepare from fresh.
  • garlic and apple cider vinegar, which score 1.
  • black pepper, which scores 2.
  • pine nuts aren't rated, but are low histamine on other lists.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 10gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 16mgPotassium: 259mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 322IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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Comments

  1. Liz says

    May 25, 2024 at 5:52 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe doesn't disappoint and adds a yummy salty, earthy twist to regular pesto pasta. I can't tolerate tinned artichokes at the moment but used to love them, so was worried I'd never get to make this - but luckily found some fresh plain roasted ones in a deli. Really enjoyed the finished meal.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      May 25, 2024 at 5:56 pm

      Glad to hear that you found some artichokes that worked for you! I'll have to look out for roasted ones, sounds like they would be delicious! Thank so much for taking the time to comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

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As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way.

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