Pesto & White Bean Pasta Salad
Pesto, pasta, and white beans team up here for a lunch of champions. Covering all your macro bases, with loads of flavor and nutrients, this salad will fuel your body and brain for a busy day—and your taste buds will thank you.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Pesto Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, or basil
- 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, more as needed
- 1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, optional
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, more as needed
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled
- 1-2 Tbsp water, more as needed
- pinch sea salt
Pasta Ingredients
- 8 oz whole grain pasta
- 1 15oz can cannellini beans, or navy beans, rinsed and drained (approx 1 1/2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup tomatoes, or bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, chopped
Instructions
Pesto Directions
- In a food processor or small blender, process the pumpkin seeds until they’re broken up quite a bit.
- Add the spinach, parsley, olive oil, nutritional yeast (if using), lemon juice, garlic, and water and process until smooth. If necessary, stir in an extra drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and/or water to get a creamy texture. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer indefinitely.
Pasta Directions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, beans, and pesto. Toss to combine.
- Add the tomato, red onion, and olives, tossing thoroughly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1200IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3.4mg
