Vegetarian Pesto Pasta

Name: Vegetarian Pesto Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup fresh basil leaves; ¼ cup part skim ricotta cheese; 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (make sure your parmesan has vegetarian rennet, not animal rennet); 2 tbsp pine nuts; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp chopped garlic; ¼ tsp salt (or more to taste); ¼ tsp black pepper (or more to taste); 1 16oz bag frozen spinach; 8 oz whole wheat penne pasta (or any whole wheat pasta you like!); pasta water (save about 1-2 ladle-fulls after cooking the pasta - it helps to make the sauce even creamier!); additional freshly grated Parmesan (optional, to top your pasta dish)

Instructions

Prep:10minCook:15min

My healthy Vegetarian Pesto Pasta recipe is ideal for anyone looking for the perfect weeknight dinner, it's ready in less than 30 minutes. I bring together creamy ricotta, salty parmesan, fresh basil, nutrient-rich spinach with whole wheat pasta and crunchy pine nuts to create a pesto veggie pasta that even the pickiest eaters will love!

Updated at: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:21:16 GMT