This vegetable pesto pasta combines a delicious garlicky herb sauce with fresh colorful veggies for a flavorful comfort food dinner! It's quick and easy to make for a family weeknight meal in just 30 minutes.
To make this a more affordable meal, have a peek at my pesto without pine nuts recipe for your sauce!
Making sauces for pasta without tomato has become one of missions in life lately as tomatoes are typically off the menu on a low histamine diet. And pesto is one of my go-to options as it has so much flavor. Perhaps you have spied my love of this herby sauce with my red pepper pesto pasta and ricotta pesto pasta recipes!
Making this vegetable pesto pasta is super simple, and you can easily use a store bought pesto if that works for you, or the dairy free version I have set out below.
And the best thing about this pasta recipe? Well, it's both kid and adult friendly, and gets in your veggies too! So let me show you how to make pesto pasta with veggies for a tasty lunch or dinner.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Adult and kid-friendly. I've served this veggie pesto pasta up to both and they all enjoyed it and came back for seconds.
Affordable ingredients. We use fresh veggies and pantry staples that are all easy to find in stores.
Versatile. Prefer a cold pasta salad? I often just let this recipe cool down and enjoy as a summer pesto pasta salad for a picnic!
🌿 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Pasta - I like to use spelt pasta, but choose the type that works best for you. Fusilli, penne, spaghetti and many other shapes are suitable.
- Nut or seed - pesto traditionally uses pine nuts, but my low histamine readers will want to use a nut or seed that works for them. My post on substitutes for nuts in pesto has lots of ideas!
- Basil - definitely use fresh basil leaves not dried to make the pesto!
- Olive oil - I suggest to use extra virgin olive oil to make the pesto for its depth of flavor.
- Veggies - I like to use red bell pepper, zucchini and asparagus for a mix of flavors.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap the pesto. There are so many ways to make pesto, so mix it up and swap for my macadamia pesto, pistachio pesto or perhaps my lemon balm pesto!
Change up the veggies. Both broccoli and summer squash would be delicious, but I suggest not carrots as they take longer to cook.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this veggie pasta with pesto is super simple, uses easy to find ingredients and comes together fast on the stovetop
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Make the pesto
If you're using my homemade pesto, simply combine pine nuts (or pumpkin seeds), fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt and black pepper in a blender. Blend to a sauce, taste test and adjust to preference (image 1).
Step 2: Saute your veggies
Drizzle olive oil in your skillet and bring to a low to medium heat. Tip in the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add in the diced red bell pepper, zucchini and asparagus. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the minced garlic. Stir the vegetables occasionally, cooking for about 10 minutes until softened (image 2).
Step 3: Cook the pasta
In salted water, cook your pasta to packet instructions. Reserve a quarter cup of the pasta water, as we will use that to make the creamy pesto sauce. Drain in a colander or sieve (image 3).
Step 4: Make the veggie pesto pasta
Tip the cooked and drained pasta and pesto into the skillet. Pour in the reserved pasta water and stir into the pesto pasta to help make a creamy silky sauce that sticks to the pasta. Combine well so the pasta and veggies are all coated in pesto. Spoon into your bowls and season to preference (image 4).
🔪 Recipe tips and notes
- Dice the bell pepper, zucchini and asparagus into pieces roughly half an inch thick for an even cook time.
- Taste the pesto! We all like a slightly different pesto, so add more garlic, vinegar or herbs to preference.
- Don't forget the pasta water. Adding starchy pasta water helps the pesto turn into a creamy pesto sauce that coats the pasta.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Yes, it's very easy to roast the veggies (and they will have a delicious sweetness), then simply combine with the pesto, cooked pasta and a touch of pasta water.
If you make the pesto ahead of time I suggest to freeze and then thaw before use.
While you can freeze pasta dishes, I do suggest to make the recipe fresh, as pasta doesn't freeze too well and can easily go gummy in texture.
🥣 How to serve
While you can of course enjoy the vegetable pesto pasta as it is, adding some extras and sides is always fun too!
- Cheese ideas. Small pieces of torn mozzarella or spoonfuls of ricotta cheese always go perfectly with pasta.
- Protein ideas. Simple cooked chicken or turkey can be served with the pasta.
- Side salads. I always like a side salad with pasta dishes, and recipes such as my cucumber fennel salad, raw carrot salad and kale apple slaw would add lots of flavor and color!
🍽 More pasta recipes
Find so many tasty pasta recipes to choose from here including my popular broccoli asparagus pasta, carrot pasta and green spaghetti sauce, as well as these recent ideas:
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
Vegetable Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large pot
- Sieve
Ingredients
For the vegetable pasta
- 8 oz pasta
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper seeds and membrane removed, diced
- 1 small zucchini diced
- 3 asparagus spears woody end removed, diced
- 1 garlic clove minced or finely diced
- pinch black pepper optional
For the pesto
- ¼ cup pine nuts or pumpkin seeds*
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Combine the pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, olive oil, garlic cloves, fresh basil leaves, apple cider vinegar and salt in a blender. Blend to a thick pesto. Taste test and adjust with more garlic or vinegar to preference.
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to packet instructions. Reserve a quarter cup of the pasta water.
- Drizzle olive oil in your skillet and cook the diced onion for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the diced bell pepper, zucchini and asparagus. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the minced garlic. Cook the vegetables for about 8 minutes, or until to the degree of softness you prefer, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the pasta (reserving the water beforehand!) and tip into the skillet. Stir in the pesto, adding the pasta water to loosen the sauce, making sure the pasta is well coated. Spoon into your serving bowl, season to preference and enjoy!
Notes
- Dice the bell peppers, zucchini and asparagus into pieces roughly a half inch in size.
- Adjust the pesto with more basil or garlic to taste preference.
- Don't forget to reserve the pasta water!
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- pine nuts, which score 1 with a ? as a liberator.
- use a pasta that works for you.
- onion, which scores 1 and as a liberator. White onion scores 0.
- garlic and apple cider vinegar, which score 1.
Demi says
I didn't know what to expect, but this was delicious! I used the Leavyned sourdough pasta with it and it was perfect. Will definitely be making again!
Claire says
Glad you enjoyed the pasta Demi!