Description
Smooth and tangy, this Olive Pesto Pasta is perfectly paired with warmly-seasoned sautéed tofu and flavorful veggies! Easy to make, this variation of pesto is so very different than the typical basil variety; a flavorful twist on pesto pasta!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz Pasta (Bow Ties, Shells, or Rotini)
Veggies
- 1/3 of a large red onion, chopped
- 2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower or broccoli, chopped
- 2 cups asparagus, woody stems removed and chopped into 2″ pieces
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt
- few grinds of pepper, to-taste
Olive Pesto
- 1 cup Green Olives
- 3/4 cup Black Olives
- 1/4 cup Kalamata Olives
- 1 cup Kale, stems removed (or sub spinach)
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1/2 cup Walnuts (or 1/4 cup pine nuts)
- 1/4 cup Parsley
- 3 tsp Lemon Juice
Tofu
- 1 16 oz Block of Extra Firm Tofu, drained and cut into cubes
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Drain tofu and cut in half length-wise, then wrap in a clean kitchen towel to blot out moisture. Then chop and prep all veggies so they’re ready to go.
- Cut tofu into squares and place in a large skillet. Carefully toss with all the spices under “Tofu”, stirring to coat evenly. Cook tofu on medium heat, flipping occasionally, until tofu is lightly browned.
- In another large skillet sauté onions on medium heat in a drizzle of oil or water until softened. Add all the other veggies, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until everything is softened, stirring occasionally.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook 12 oz pasta according to package direction. When finished, strain water and return noodles back to pot.
- Meanwhile, while everything cooks, place everything under “Olive Pesto” in food processor and process until pesto is finely chopped and desired consistency, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides.
- Use rubber spatula to scrape pesto from the food processor into the pot with pasta and toss until pasta is evenly coated. Stir in all the veggies and tofu. Serve immediately, garnishing with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: pasta
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean