Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Recipe

Create a weeknight wonder in just 30 minutes with our Vegetarian Pesto Pasta, a harmonious blend of tender beans, filling pasta, and zesty pesto, prepared in a flash.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 6 ounces orecchiette pasta
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 14-ounce can cannellini white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1/2 cup rosemary arugula pesto
• Crusty bread and fresh arugula for serving (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Set a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil.
2. 2Meanwhile, place the onion and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pureed.
3. 3Heat the olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add the onion-garlic puree along with the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened and lost their bite; about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. 4Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 1 or 2 minutes shy of al dente according to package directions (until there is just the slightest bite left in the center).
5. 5When the pasta is nearly done cooking, add the tomato paste and beans to the onion-garlic mixture. Strain the pasta, reserving one cup of cooking water. Add half of the reserved cooking water to the tomato-onion mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined and slightly reduced.
6. 6Add the butter and drained almost al dente pasta to the pan and toss well. Add enough of the remaining half cup of pasta cooking water to mostly submerge the pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender and the sauce is very thick, another 2 to 3 minutes.
7. 7Stir half of the pesto sauce into the pasta; taste and add salt as desired. Serve hot, with crusty bread and fresh arugula (optional). Lastly, garnish with the remaining pesto.