With this recipe we wanted to create a fun play on pesto that really kicks up the bright, fresh citrus angle. The addition of a whole orange balances out the lemon juice, rounding out the flavors and preventing it from tasting too tart. By swapping out the customary pine nuts for almonds, this pesto also acquires pleasant nutty-sweet undertones. And finally, this version is completely vegan because it doesn’t use Parmesan cheese. If you want, you can always grate some cheese to add as a last-minute garnish.
Credit:
Reprinted with permission from Noodle Worship by Tiffani & Larone Thompson. Page Street Publishing Co. 2022. Photo credit: Becky Winkler.
Orange Citrus Pesto Pasta [Vegan]
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (12 g) fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup (54 g) slivered almonds
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 orange, peeled and roughly chopped (check for seeds and discard any)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 oz (283 g) dried rotini
Preparation
- In a food processor or blender, place the basil, almonds, garlic, orange, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped, making sure to scrape down the sides a few times. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Process until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides, about 1 minute.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, according to the package directions. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water before draining the pasta and returning it to the pot. Add the pesto and stir to combine. While stirring, slowly add the reserved pasta water a tablespoon (15 ml) at a time until you reach your desired consistency.