How To Make Asparagus-Spinach Pesto Pasta
Try a flavorful plate of our savory pesto pasta for dinner! It’s loaded with crunchy asparagus, soft spinach and delicious shrimp for a filling meal.
Serves:
Ingredients
For Pasta:
- 1lbdried pasta,like DeLallo whole wheat
- 1lbraw shrimp,peeled and deveined
- 3tbspblackening powder,or cajun seasoning
- 1tbspolive oil
- ¼cuppine nuts,toasted
For Asparagus-Spinach Pesto:
- 1lbasparagus spears,ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3cupsbaby spinach leaves,loosely packed
- 4garlic cloves,peeled
- ½cupParmesan cheese,freshly grated, plus more for topping
- ¼cuppine nuts,toasted
- 2tbsplemon juice
- ½tspsalt
- ½cupextra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Pasta:
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Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously-salted water al dente according to package instructions.
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Add the shrimp to a small bowl, then toss with the blackening powder until coated.
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Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
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Add in the shrimp, then sauté for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink and no longer translucent.
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Turn off the heat, then transfer the shrimp to a separate plate. Set aside.
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When the pasta is al dente, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
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Return the pasta either to the stockpot where it was cooked, or to the sauté pan with the stove heat turned off.
Asparagus-Spinach Pesto:
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Fill a separate medium saucepan or stockpot with water, then bring to a boil over high heat.
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Add the asparagus spears, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the spears are bright green and barely tender.
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Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon, then transfer them to a bowl filled with ice water.
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Add the asparagus, spinach, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, lemon juice and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
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Process until combined.
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With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until it is incorporated.
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Add the pesto to the pasta, then toss until evenly coated, adding in a bit of the reserved pasta water if needed to thin the pasta.
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Stir in the shrimp and pine nuts.
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Serve sprinkled with some extra Parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
Nutrition
- Calories: 668.40kcal
- Fat: 32.80g
- Saturated Fat: 5.70g
- Trans Fat: 0.00g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 18.01g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.63g
- Carbohydrates: 62.45g
- Fiber: 4.59g
- Sugar: 4.11g
- Protein: 32.97g
- Cholesterol: 130.14mg
- Sodium: 465.29mg
- Calcium: 240.12mg
- Potassium: 640.84mg
- Iron: 4.01mg
- Vitamin A: 77.94µg
- Vitamin C: 8.32mg
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