Green kale & walnut pesto pasta with crispy-edged roasted broccoli and brussel sprouts – healthy, easy and very green! Jump to Recipe
So happy right now.
A week of hectic studying for our mid-semester exam has finally culminated in the exam (this morning) being over – such a relief. Intensive studying can’t be good for anyone, although it has instigated my new found love of coffee (small double shot flat white, extra hot please!).
I never thought I would be a coffee person: although I have grown up around it (with Dad drinking five or six coffees a day and roasting his own green bean blends in his 1kg coffee roaster downstairs), as a child I associated the smell with long car trips (obviously, we always had to take a coffee machine and roasted beans with us!), and therefore carsickness (yes, I am that person..), and even in the last few years I have resisted, thinking that I don’t want to spend my money on coffee (oops). I also have never liked milk, and a big milky drink like a hot chocolate made me feel slightly ill. However, being a bit sick, rundown and tired in the cold Melbourne winter in the past few weeks has led to more than a few coffee runs from St Ali’s over at uni – and I have quickly discovered that I love it, and am unsure how I have dealt with being tired in the past – like, so much alertness going on here. Seriously.
The weather is also a part of my mood: spring seemed to arrive here in Melbourne today (as it should, seeing as it is now September) – sunny and almost 20 degrees for the first time in months. Plus we went out for lunch to celebrate a birthday (hello, turmeric goats cheese, pesto freekah grains, roasted truss tomatoes & poached eggs on sourdough with smoked salmon at District Brewer). Yes, I love Melbourne cafes.
BUT I also haven’t posted for a week, so here is a go-to quick, healthy dinner that can be on the table in half an hour – kale & walnut pesto pasta with roasted greens. If you make the pesto ahead, it could be even less. The pesto is nutty, lemony and fragrant, spiked with garlic and basil, and super healthy with all that kale (it seems like a huge amount when you make the pesto, but trust me, it does shrink down when you cook it), and pairs perfectly with steaming hot pasta and crispy-edged roasted broccoli. I never realised how good roasted greens were until recently – SO much more flavour than steamed. And, yes those are brussel sprouts, transformed into crisp and flaky bites by their oven time (hey, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!). And if you wanted to make it even healthier and greener, you could replace some of the spaghetti with zucchini zoodles. Up to you.
Your pasta to pesto and vegetable ratio will depend on the number of people you are serving, how much pasta everyone eats (for example, my brothers eat enough for 2 people each!) and if they like lots of vegetables. The pesto makes enough for around 8 servings, so you may have some left over, which can be stored in an airtight container or jar for 1-2 weeks in the fridge (or frozen for longer). It can be used in many other ways too – toss it through a salad dressing, spread it on toast or in your sandwich, eat it with eggs, use it to marinade meat, pop a tablespoon on top of your tomato soup… you name it!
- 200 g kale leaves , washed (1 - 1.5 big packets)
- 30 g basil (1.5 cups loosely packed)
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- juice and zest of 2 lemons
- 8-10 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan
- 60 g walnut halves
- large pinch of salt
- pinch of sugar
- 500 g spaghetti
- brussel sprouts and broccoli (this depends on how many people you are serving and how much vegetables you like!)
- olive oil , salt and pepper
- extra finely grated parmesan and basil leaves to serve
- pan fried white fish/salmon to serve (optional)
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Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
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Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the kale and cook until bright green - about 20-30 seconds. Strain, rinse with cold water and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Put the pot back on to boil (this time for the pasta).
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In a food processor, blitz the blanched kale, basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, parmesan, walnuts, salt and sugar until it forms a thick paste - this usually takes 3-5 minutes.
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Chop the brussel sprouts into quarters and the broccoli into small florets. On your baking sheet, toss the vegetables with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a generous grind of salt and pepper to coat, and spread out in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 10-20 minutes or until crispy edged and fragrant. This will depend on the size of your veges - and if you use any other vegetables you may have to adjust the cooking time.
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While the vegetables are cooking, cook your pasta in the boiling water according to packet instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
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Add about 1 cup of pesto and 1/4 cup of cooking water and toss to coat - add extra pesto and cooking water if it seems dry/depending on how much pesto you like on your pasta! Add the roasted vegetables and stir through.
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Serve the pasta sprinkled with extra parmesan. We often serve this with panfried fish as well.
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Place any left over pesto in an airtight jar or container and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks
pesto pasta is my anyday goto meal and the best part is that one can be so creative with pesto. I always prefer walnut to pine nuts in pesto, works for my pocket too 🙂 As for kale, well time to add that in my pesto!
Totally agree, pesto pasta is the best – and you can add almost anything to it! 🙂
My coffee addiction also started at uni haha! That’s so cool that your dad roasts his own beans! I’m worried that I’m heading down that path XD
But this pasta… omg. It looks so good. I guess I shouldn’t be looking at pictures of food before breakfast. And I totally agree on the Brussels sprout thing. They get such a bad rap and it’s so undeserved! They are like little flavour receptacles.
Haha, now I can’t believe I have gone so long without it! Roasting your own beans is so good though – cheaper, you can make your own blends, and its always super fresh.
And I look at pictures of food all the time before breakfast.. it is a bad habit, I know, but as soon as I scroll through instagram in the morning it is like BAM, photos of food!! And yes, everyone automatically says ew, brussel sprouts, but it so depends on how you cook them.
Hope you are having a good week! <3
Such beautiful photos! I don’t love kale, but I’m sure I’d prefer it in a pesto. Love all of the green!
I know what you mean – I sometimes like it, sometimes don’t, depending on how it is cooked – in pesto though all the other flavours like basil, lemon, parmesan and walnuts make it a lot more interesting! Thank you for stopping by <3
I don’t drink much coffee either but with Autumn in the air, there is nothing like a cup of milky coffee to get me going. Love the sound of this pasta dish!
So good, isn’t it? Warmth + caffeine all in one. Thanks Nicole!
This my friend ticks allllll the boxes!
Veggie fix, pesto fix (YESSSS), and pasta!! and roasting greens – your such a genius cookie 🙂
And I’m so glad you’re on the coffee wagon now! once you start you wonder how you ever lived without it! 😛
Oh and i miss melbourne cafes so much! If i was back there it would be so fun to meet up and go all out at brunch ;D
Hope uni is going well!
xx
Thanks Bec! I know, I honestly think Melbourne must be one of the best (if not THE best) city in the world for food – just all such high quality and with so much variety!! and yeess that would have been so much fun – if you are ever back here let me know!
And yes, already wondering how I lasted so long without coffee.. I need a coffee machine so it doesn’t turn into an expensive habit!
Xx
This looks SO good, Claudia! I love that the pesto has a healthy twist with the kale – how yummy and clever! Also, lots of brownie points that the meal comes together so quickly – a real life saver when you’re hungry and just want to eat something soon! The walnuts are also a lovely addition <3
I am a total coffee lover, so I can understand what you mean when you find the coffee comforting when you're tired and it's cold out. Coffee can be a wonderful cure for that! 🙂
Thanks Beeta, I totally agree – quick meals that are also healthy and taste good are my favourite (especially when they involve pasta!!). <3
This sounds so simple and satisfying, Claudia! I love making pesto with all sorts of diffy greens, so this sounds spectacular. And the extra layer of greens in the form of roasted veggies: yum! Happy spring to you down there in backwards land! <3
Thank you so much Em! Pesto is the best, isn’t it (thank goodness for food processors though!) – I love how customisable it is. And yes, very much looking forward to warmer weather and all the spring produce! <3
Oooo yum I love pesto anything but spaghetti is my weakness! Lovely
Thanks Bec! Such a spaghetti fan too, goes with everything. And I always end up adding crusty bread too (extra carbs, oops) – but olive oil on the side is a healthy fat, right?! X
I LOVE all of the GREEN in this dish!! Absolutely mouthwatering photos too.
Thanks so much Josette! As I have gotten older I find that I love greens more and more! <3
Following you on Bloglovin! 🙂
Thank you! <3 <3