Chickpea & Walnut Pesto Pasta

This recipe was created by HSUS’s expert chefs and approved by HSUS’s team of registered dietitians. It was specifically designed for college & university food service.

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Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 cups Green chickpeas, fresh
2 cups Baby arugula, loosely packed
½ cup Walnuts
½ cup Nutritional yeast
1 clove Garlic
¼ cup Olive oil
¾ teaspoon Lemon zest
2 teaspoons Lemon juice, fresh
2 teaspoons Salt, divided
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 pound Penne pasta
1 quart Water

Garnish
1 pint Cherry tomatoes

Preparation

1. Put noodles in boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain, reserving a cup of pasta water. Set aside.
2. Put 1 cup of chickpeas, arugula, walnuts, ¼ cup nutritional yeast and garlic in food processor. Process until smooth.
3. While food processor is running, slowly pour in olive oil. Add lemon zest and juice.
4. Add salt and pepper. Continue to process for a few more seconds.
5. Toss pasta and pesto together. If too thick, use the reserved water for consistency.
6. If desired, garnish with remaining nutritional yeast and cherry tomatoes.

Nutrition information

Calories: 316 Total Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Carbohydrate: 40g Fiber: 4g Total Sugar: 3g Protein: 10g Sodium: 487mg Vitamin A: 26μg Vitamin C: 14mg Calcium: 36mg Iron: 2mg Folate: 157μg