Enjoy this easy Basil Pesto Pasta with Veggies in less than 20 minutes! It's a flavorful, fresh, and healthy dish to make again and again! Whether you're a vegetarian or simply looking to add more plant-based meals to your diet, this recipe is a winner.
Definitely try our healthy Pesto Chicken. It's great for meal prep!
Veggie Pesto Pasta with Spinach and Avocado is wonderful as a main dish or side dish for the whole family. This is such a simple, summery recipe with endless possibilities, like all these summer appetizers. Give it a try! We think you'll LOVE it!
But don't limit this flavorful pasta to just summer; it's good year-round! Just like our tasty Couscous Salad and Pesto Shrimp Skewers!
Serve it with meat or dish it up in a big bowl and go meatless. It's totally up to you! If you haven't made a basil pesto recipe before, you're in for a treat.
Another wonderful pesto recipe is our Easy and Healthy Chicken Pesto.
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Ingredient Notes
Here are the simple and fresh ingredients needed:
- Fusilli pasta - a key ingredient to the recipe that has a nice twisted pasta that holds the pesto sauce so well.
- Salt - salting the pasta water enhances the flavor.
- Fresh Spinach - chopped fresh baby spinach leaves.
- Prepared basil pesto - you can buy a container from the store or make your own from the easy recipe below.
- Red wine vinegar - the vinegar gives the recipe a little acid and brings the whole flavor profile together.
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Ripe avocado - you'll need to peel and chop it.
- Cut vegetables of choice - like broccoli, peppers, or squash.
Find the full recipe in the printable recipe card below.
Optional Add-In
To make your vegetarian pesto pasta more nutritionally rich, add in any or all of the following:
- Green Bell Peppers
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Red Peppers
- Yellow Squash
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Broccoli
What is Pesto Sauce Made Out Of?
Good question. Pesto is a traditional Italian recipe consisting of garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Pecorino, all blended with good quality olive oil.
To make your homemade pesto, take the following ingredients and blend them in a food processor:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (about 2 ounces)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
Instructions to make pesto:
- Pulse the basil and pine nuts first.
- Then, add the parmesan cheese and garlic and pulse.
- Now, drizzle in a little olive oil at a time while the food processor is going. Once finished, season with salt and pepper.
Of course, you can always use store-bought pesto sauce if you'd like.
How to Make Pesto Pasta
STEP 1: Cook the Pasta. First, bring a large pot of salted water (3 quarts of water, a tablespoon of salt) to a boil over medium-high heat. Add your dry pasta (12 ounces) after the water is boiling. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Cook pasta until al dente (cooked through but firm to the bite). Cook time will vary depending on your variety of pasta, but it will take approximately 7-12 minutes. Make sure to check the package instructions for precise cook time.
STEP 2: Mix Pasta + Spinach. Place your chopped spinach (2 packed cups) in a large bowl. When the pasta is done, take out about ½ cup of pasta water and set it aside to use later.
Drain the cooked pasta and place it in the bowl with the chopped spinach. Mix together. The heat from the pasta will help wilt the spinach leaves a little, and this is exactly what you want.
STEP 3: Stir in Pesto + other ingredients. Now, stir in the prepared cream pesto sauce (6-8 tablespoons) from the recipe above or a store-bought container so the pasta is well coated.
Next, add a little of the cooking water you set aside to moisten the pasta a bit. The starch in the water will help the sauce cling to the pasta. You may not need it all, but add it until the pasta is nice and moist.
Add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, half a teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well.
The red wine vinegar pairs so well with the pasta and pesto!
STEP 4: Add Avocado. Finally, gently fold in the chopped avocado (1 whole). Taste and add more salt, vinegar, and or pepper if needed.
Pesto veggie pasta is best served slightly warm or at room temperature and is completely delicious!!
Which Pasta is Best with Pesto?
Well, any pasta, but the best ones to hold that delicious, delicate pesto sauce are:
- Fusilli - a long, thick, spiral-shaped pasta that adds an unexpected twist to any recipe.
- Trofie - a short, thin, twisted pasta from Northern Italy.
- Strozzapreti - a short-length pasta that's rolled across its width and resembles a rolled towel.
- Caserecce - a short-length pasta that's rolled and twisted into an S-shape cross-section.
- Gemelli - a short, spiral pasta, versatile Gemelli works well in hearty sauces, baked dishes, and lighter vegetable pasta dishes.
These kinds of pasta have some twist that perfectly holds the pesto sauce, making the best options.
Expert Tips
- SALT THE WATER. Make sure you salt the water you cook the pasta in. Salted water creates tastier pasta!
- AL DENTE PASTA. Cooking the pasta al dente until it's almost done results in the best texture because the pasta keeps cooking a little once it's away from the heat.
- RESERVE PASTA WATER. Definitely reserve some of the pasta cooking water to put in when combining all ingredients later. It contains the starch that will make the pasta nice and creamy and make the sauce stick to each one!
- AVOCADO. Add your avocado at the very end so that it doesn't get smooched or start to turn brown.
- GLUTEN-FREE. To make this vegetarian pasta gluten-free, use certified gluten-free pasta.
Storing
Because the pesto pasta recipe includes fresh avocado, it likely will only keep to the next day. So if you want to eat it later, store leftovers in an airtight container. However, add the avocado to the portion you are currently eating.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely, Pesto Pasta can be eaten cold, but for best results for this recipe, enjoy it slightly warm or at room temperature.
If you want vegetarian options, try roasted vegetables, steamed veggies, or Caprese Salad. If you want a protein-packed side, try grilled chicken, shrimp salad, or baked white fish.
No, you can leave out the avocado, but it does add a nice creaminess to the recipe.
More Easy Salad Recipes
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This post was originally published on June 5, 2019, and was updated with enhanced instructions on June 2, 2023.
Printable Recipe
Basil Pesto Pasta with Veggies
Equipment
- Large pot
- knife
- Spatula or cooking spoon
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of fusilli pasta
- Salt
- 2 cups packed spinach (chopped fresh baby spinach leaves)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons prepared basil pesto (or make your own)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
- 1 whole ripe avocado (peeled and chopped)
- cut vegetables of choice (like broccoli, peppers, or squash)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water (3 quarts of water, a tablespoon of salt) to a boil. Add the dry pasta (12 ounces) after the water is boiling. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook pasta until al dente (cooked through but firm to the bite). Cook time will vary depending on your variety of pasta, but it will take approximately 7-12 minutes.
- Place your chopped spinach (2 packed cups) in a large bowl. When the pasta is done, take out about a half cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside for use later. Drain the pasta and place in the bowl with the chopped spinach. Mix together. The heat from the pasta will help wilt the spinach leaves a little, and this is what you want.
- Stir in the prepared pesto (6-8 tablespoons) so the pasta is well coated. Next, add a little of the pasta cooking water you set aside to moisten the pasta a bit. You may not need it all, but add it until the pasta is nice and moist. The starch in the water will help the sauce cling to the pasta. Add in any vegetables you like. Add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, half a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well.
- Gently fold in the chopped avocado (1 whole). Add more salt, vinegar, and or pepper to taste if needed.This recipe is best completely delicious served slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- SALT THE WATER. Make sure you salt the water you cook the pasta in. Salted water creates tastier pasta!
- AL DENTE PASTA. Cooking the pasta al dente until it's almost done results in the best texture because the pasta keeps cooking a little once it's away from the heat.
- RESERVE PASTA WATER. Definitely reserve some of the pasta cooking water when combining all ingredients later. It contains the starch that will make the pasta nice and creamy and make the sauce stick to each one!
- AVOCADO. Add your avocado at the very end so that it doesn't get smooched or start to turn brown.
Damien OuO says
I love Pasta so much! I got the Kitchen a little dirty but Dad loved the pasta so... I think I call it a win!