Pasta Pesto Primavera is a rainbow on your plate!
So how many colors can you add to this pasta pesto primavera dish?
RED- peppers, tomatoes, red lentil pasta, onions
ORANGE -carrots, butternut squash, peppers
YELLOW -peppers, summer squash, golden potatoes, golden beets
GREEN – broccoli, peppers, zucchini, brussel sprouts, avocados, spinach
BLUE – potatoes
INDIGO – eggplant
VIOLET -cauliflower
and don’t forget about
WHITE – cauliflower, potatoes, turnips, parsnips and mushrooms
BLACK – beans
BROWN – mushrooms
It’s a beautiful thing!
The Versatile Veggie Entree
Because there are endless possibilities to create this dish, it works with what you already have in your fridge and pantry. And I love that.
Then I always make extra Posh Pesto and keep it in the freezer. And I always have pasta on hand. Then I see what vegetables are leftover and viola, pasta pesto primavera is ready to go!
This is how I make my Pasta Pesto Primavera
Start by chopping all the veggies approximately the same size.
Then line the biggest baking tray (or two smaller ones) with parchment paper.
Pasta
Now boil water for the pasta.
Pesto
Then make the Pesto recipe (or pull it out of the freezer to thaw if you have it on hand).
Primavera
Bake those veggies with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper in a hot oven, (I cook at 425F), until slightly browning. Then I usually saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic on the stove.
Begin to cook the pasta. And thaw the pesto. Then when the veggies are cooked, mix them all together.
So there you have it. It’s a rainbow on your plate. (And a pot of gold for your health!)
How about a rainbow happy ending to the pasta pesto primavera meal?!:
Have a rainbow bowl of fruit of course!
RED – raspberries, strawberries, pomegranate seeds, cranberries, watermelon
ORANGE – oranges, mango, cantaloupe
YELLOW – peaches, bananas, passionfruit
GREEN – grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi
BLUE – blueberries,
INDIGO – blackberries
VIOLET – plums, elderberries, grapes
Now Go and Enjoy the Rainbow!
Pasta Pesto Primavera
Ingredients
Method
- Cut up all the vegetables into approximately the same size.
- Boil water for pasta.
- Roast veggies on a parchment-lined baking tray(s) at 425 Fahrenheit for about 40 – 50 minutes until lightly golden. Stagger quicker cooking veggies like broccoli after roasting veggies first that need more cooking time
- While roasting vegetables, prepare (or thaw) pesto.
- Saute onions, mushrooms, and spinach (if using) on the stove.
- Cook pasta for about 15 minutes before taking out the roasted veggies.
- Scoop out about 1/3 cup of pasta water from the cooking pasta pot.
- When all items are prepared, drain pasta, return to pot, and add pesto and reserved pasta water to pasta. Add in all veggies and mix together.
- Top with sliced avocado or guacamole (if using).
- Store in the fridge for up to a few days.
