Pesto Pasta With Broccoli, Zucchini & Ricotta
Pesto Pasta With Broccoli, Zucchini & Ricotta
Just yum! Pasta, pesto, ricotta – how can you go wrong? You can make the pesto in advance on this one and it makes the prep time so much quicker. The green pesto also hides the broccoli and zucchini a little, so I find my girls don’t notice the added veggies as much.
Ingredients
- 400 g dried pasta I used cavatelli, but penne, elbows, spirals or orecchiette also work
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup broccoli roughly chopped
- 1 zucchini large, grated or julienned
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
Pesto
- 4 cups basil leaves
- 3 cups mint leaves
- 2 cloves garlic smashed or roughly chopped
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, plus extra to serve
- 1/2 cup pine nuts untoasted or toasted, you can also use almonds or walnuts
- 2 lemons large, juiced squeezed
- sea salt & cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- For the pesto: Place the basil, mint, garlic, parmesan and pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse until it comes together. Add the lemon juice and season well. Pulse again. Then drizzle in the olive oil until your desired consistency is reached. You can also add a teaspoon or two of water to thin it out.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add some salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (check the packet instructions). Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Set aside.
- Place a large frying pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat. Add the broccoli and stir for 2–3 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, along with 1/2–3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add 2 tablespoons of the pesto (or to taste) and stir it all together. Add the zucchini in the last minute. Stir through and turn the heat off. Season well.
- Serve the pesto pasta in bowls with extra grated parmesan and a dollop of ricotta on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 1015kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 35gFat: 59gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 480mgPotassium: 825mgFiber: 9gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3325IUVitamin C: 64mgCalcium: 600mgIron: 6mg
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