Description
This earthy and creamy asparagus pesto with tahini and miso is the perfect vegetarian dinner. The pesto contains a blend of asparagus, fresh basil, tahini, miso, Parmesan and lemon juice. It’s surprisingly refreshing and every bite will leave you wanting more!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb dried pasta (like conchiglie, penne, or fusilli)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt + pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp miso paste
- 1 heaping cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and reserve about 3/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the pesto: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the asparagus, onion and garlic then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the veggies for 10-12 minutes. You want a nice golden char on the vegetables, so be patient until they soften and brown.
- Blend the pesto ingredients: Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender (reserve about 1/4 cup of the vegetables for garnish later). Also to the blender add the tahini, miso paste, basil, lemon juice, Parmesan and vegetable broth. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Finish the pasta: Pour the blended pesto along with the cooked pasta back into the pot or skillet (whichever is larger). Adjust the heat to low, then slowly pour in the reserved pasta water until you have achieved your desired sauce thickness. Remove from the heat.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve with a garnish of the remaining cooked vegetables, fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 786
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 879mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 100g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 25mg