Best Zucchini Pasta With Peas And A Kale Pesto Recipes

Kale Pesto image

Provided by Jeanine Donofrio

Number Of Ingredients 8

½ cup pepitas
1 small garlic clove
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast)
Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 packed cups chopped curly kale
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

In a food processor, pulse the pepitas and garlic until the pepitas are ground up. Add the cheese or nutritional yeast, salt, and several grinds of pepper and pulse again.
Add the kale and lemon juice. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil, and process until combined. Season to taste.

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas image

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories main-dish

Time 32m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto (packaged or see recipe below)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Steps:

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.
Place the walnuts, pignoli, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.
Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.
To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

White Bean Primavera image

Provided by Sarah DiGregorio

Time 25m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium to large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch thick semicircles
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
8 ounces asparagus (about ½ large bunch) or green beans, or a mix, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 carrot, peeled, then shaved into strips with a peeler
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen peas (no need to thaw)
2 scallions, green and white parts, sliced
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper
3 (15-ounce) cans butter beans or cannellini beans, drained
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about 1/2 large lemon), plus more to taste
2 ounces grated Parmesan (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts
Fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish

Steps:

Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and 1 teaspoon salt, and stir, then cook undisturbed in an even layer until one side is golden, about 4 minutes. (It's great if the butter browns, but decrease the heat if it threatens to get too dark.) Stir in the asparagus, carrot and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the peas, scallions and ½ teaspoon salt, then add the red-pepper flakes, oregano and a generous amount of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the peas are warmed through and bright green, about 2 minutes.
Add the white beans and the cream, lower the heat to medium, and let the cream come to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, Parmesan and Dijon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lemon juice as needed. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of warm water to the creamy beans to loosen as you like; the sauce will thicken as it cools. (You may need more water when you reheat any leftovers.) Serve in bowls topped with the nuts and a handful of basil leaves. Pass more Parmesan at the table.