Aggie's Kitchen

Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto

A delicious spring whole wheat pasta dish! Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto is bulked up with asparagus, red pepper and peas tossed in a light pesto sauce.

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A delicious spring whole wheat pasta dish! Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto is bulked up with asparagus, red pepper and peas tossed in a light pesto sauce. Recipe via Aggie's Kitchen

This recipe is a favorite and perfect for SPRING! I love using pesto that I pick up from Costco (find it in the refrigerated section) and goat cheese from there as well. Right now I’m finding asparagus at the grocery store which is what reminded me of this pasta the other day. It’s such a great, meatless meal so if you are avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent then this is one to try!


Originally posted in March, 2015.

Here’s another “nailed it!” recipe for you. When I say I nailed it, it means everyone at my dinner table happily ate and enjoyed every bite of this Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto. I’m considering starting a category of it’s own for these types of recipes.

My kids surprise me often when it comes to food. If I were to put asparagus on their plate as a side dish I am pretty certain there would be a conversation about whether or not they want to eat it, though I’m pretty sure my daughter would at least try it. I was taking my chances by putting it in this pasta dish, and it worked. I know that red bell peppers aren’t their favorite by any means so they would be picked out (and that’s totally ok – more for me 😉 ) but I was pleasantly surprised when no one mentioned anything about the asparagus.

A delicious spring whole wheat pasta dish! Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto is bulked up with asparagus, red pepper and peas tossed in a light pesto sauce. Recipe via Aggie's Kitchen

My biggest lesson learned as a mom is to never assume your child isn’t going to like something (and definitely don’t say it out loud for them to hear) – their palates and moods change by the day and you just really never know when they will give something new (or not so new) a try and actually like it.

A delicious spring whole wheat pasta dish! Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto is bulked up with asparagus, red pepper and peas tossed in a light pesto sauce. Recipe via Aggie's Kitchen

This is my favorite way to eat pasta – bulked up with a bunch of veggies and tossed in a light sauce. I recently stocked up on my favorite pesto sauce from Costco, among other things, and it made the perfect spring evening meal. I served it alongside steak bites but it would be perfectly fine on it’s own as a vegetarian dinner.

Blackened_Salmon_Salad-5

And since it’s Easter week…here’s a little bunny cuteness for you. (In case you missed it, I introduced you to our new floppy eared family members here last week.)

Have a great day!!

Print Recipe

Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 13 oz box whole wheat pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
  • 1 lb fresh asparagus, end trimmed and cut in thirds
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup prepared pesto
  • coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 2-3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • red pepper flakes, optional

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to directions.
  2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and asparagus to skillet and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add peas to skillet, season with salt and pepper and toss.
  3. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer pasta from cooking water and put directly into skillet. Add about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water to skillet along with pasta. Add your pesto to pasta and vegetables and gently toss to combine. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese and serve. Serve with additional fresh ground black pepper or red pepper flakes, optional.

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More recipes using pesto:

Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken

Grilled Baby Portabella Pesto Flatbread

Whole Wheat Orzo with Pesto and Peas

Ham, Pesto, Onion and Cheese Sliders | Reluctant Entertainer

Pesto Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes and Mozzarella | Foodiecrush

Caprese Pesto Potato Skins | Iowa Girl Eats

 

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A delicious spring whole wheat pasta dish! Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto is bulked up with asparagus, red pepper and peas tossed in a light pesto sauce. Recipe via Aggie's Kitchen

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16 comments on “Spring Vegetable Pasta with Pesto”

  1. I totally agree with you about prejudging what you think your kids will or will not like. I say feed them everything from the start! My kids are all adventurous eaters and I think it’s because I never fenced them in. Granted Ken and I are also both adventurous eaters. Setting an example for your kids is KEY. I despise it when a grown person makes a yucky face and says ewww toward a food. Nothing makes me hotter under the collar. LOL Ok I could talk for hours on this topic so I will stop rt ther. 😀
    Hey congrats on the 50 healthy food blogger award! Mwah!
    XOX
    Sheila

  2. Kids are SO funny! Kaylin claims to not like broccoli, but will sometimes happily eat it…! This looks divine

    • ha ha, for the longest time Gina didn’t like chocolate – chocolate?? She still won’t eat peanut butter. But I think I saw her eat a Reese’s pieces the other day 🙂 Kids are funny! You seriously never know.

  3. My two eldest will eat anything I put in front of them. I thought I had it down pat… My youngest three had other ideas 🙂 My middle guy is getting better about expanding his horizons, and the two youngest will at least take courtesy bites, but they’re choosy. I’m okay with it, though… I keep the new stuff coming and sometimes they surprise me. 😀 This pasta looks AMAZING!

    • It boggles my mind sometimes keeping track of what one will eat and what the other will eat…I can only imagine keeping track of more 🙂 Hoping little Micah just eats it all and makes it easier for me. Your kids don’t know what their missing with your cooking! 😉 Thanks friend…

  4. Your spring vegetable pasta recipe looks amazing! Love the goat cheese! And yes never hold back from letting the kiddos try new foods, my kids love trying to food!

  5. Made it tonight, delicious! The perfect spring meal.

  6. This looks like the perfect pasta Aggie! Love all of these flavors!

  7. This is my kind of pasta dish, YUM!!! That little bunny is too cute 🙂

  8. Superb Recipe .Thanks for sharing.Love all of these flavors!

  9. Aggie,
    I’m loving the flavors of this dish! After watching my son pick out and set aside all of the asparagus from a pile of leftovers I am glad that your kids didn’t pick it out!
    It’s funny, how kids will adapt their tastes. I remember when my kids only ate ketchup, mustard, and pickles on their cheeseburgers. Now my daughter likes grilled onions and my son likes grilled onions and mushrooms on his burger. They are doing well (even if he picked out the asparagus the other day).
    Thanks!

    • They are totally doing well and obviously have really good taste (that’s what I would want on my burger!!) 🙂 I know, I can’t complain when my kids don’t eat a certain veggie because they really do eat a big variety overall. It’s fun to see them grow their palates.

  10. Hi Aggies,

    Thanks for the lovely recipe well as i belongs to India, finding out whole wheat pasta is a difficult task, what we are getting here is white flour pasta in packs. Can i use this packed white flour pasta instead of whole wheat pasta.. i know the taste of pasta would be different but what to do when you are left with no choice 🙁