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Asparagus, Broccolini, Courgette and Pea Pesto

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This Rigatoni Pasta with Asparagus, Broccolini, Courgette and Pea Pesto is a main dish with a twist on the classic pesto.

Rigatoni Pasta with Asparagus, Broccolini, Courgette and Pea Pesto close up

Packed full of flavour, perfect for the spring and summer seasons and also fully vegan, this dish will leave you craving more and is a fantastic and easy way to get your children eating more vegetables.

Also, this 4-veg green pesto is super easy to make, insanely delicious and perfect as an accompaniment to pasta for a quick very hearty dinner.

This recipe is full of nutrients thanks to the beautifully and gently steamed greens. Together they create a cacophony of flavours that are perfectly balanced. The asparagus offers a bitterness that when added to the broccolini is mellowed down by the sweetness of both the courgettes and peas. Not forgetting the important basil notes to finish these beautiful green vegetables create an incredible pesto that will surely leave you wanting more.

The pesto will be brought together by the fats in the extra virgin olive oil, the vegan grated cheese as well as the protein packed pumpkin and sunflower seeds. These will all help to emulsify the sauce that will wonderfully coat any pasta of your choice.

I served it with rigatoni, which is the favourite pasta shape of my husband, and it pairs wonderfully if you're looking for an extra crunch. Otherwise you can also opt for long pastas like spaghetti and linguine, or penne, fusilli and conchiglioni.

This pesto can be both enjoyed warm or as a pasta salad, to carry on a barbecue event or picnic, or simply as a different lunch box to bring at the office.

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

And if you do make my vegan asparagus, broccolini, courgette and pea pesto pasta, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram (#avegtastefromatoz). I love seeing your take on my recipes.

Rigatoni Pasta with Asparagus, Broccolini, Courgette and Pea Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:
100 g Asparagus
100 g Broccolini
100 g Courgette (around ½)
70 g Peas (fresh or frozen)
1 handful of Basil
2-3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 ½ tablespoon Grated Vegan Cheese
1 tablespoon Sunflower Seeds
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds
Salt
Pepper
350 g Pasta

Method:
1. Wash the veggies, trim the asparagus ends off and roughly dice the courgette.
2. Steam at 5 minutes intervals starting with the broccolini and asparagus, then add the courgettes and finally the peas. So you will need to steam for a total of 15 minutes (for 15m the broccolini and asparagus, 10m the courgettes and 5m the peas).
3. Allow the veggies to cool down for a few moments, then trim the asparagus heads off and keep them aside along with a couple of tablespoons of peas for decoration/extra texture.
4. Add all the veggies to a food processor bowl along with the remaining ingredients and blend to a paste. You might need to clean the sides of the bowl a few times with a spatula during the process.

5. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. In the meantime cook the pasta al dente, then drain making sure to keep some of the cooking water (around ½ cup).
7. Add the drained pasta back to the pot along with 2-3 tablespoons of cooking water to start with and the pesto sauce.

8. Coat the pasta and gently heat on the stove, adding more cooking water if needed.
9. Serve decorated with the asparagus tips and the peas previously put aside, then sprinkle with some more pumpkin and sunflower seeds, a kiss of olive oil and some grated vegan parmesan to taste.
10. Enjoy both straight away or as a pasta salad.