Basil Pesto Pasta with Sautéed Zucchini

Happy Meatless Monday!! So, the husband and I decided to start intermittent fasting and when I say I am looking forward to dinner, I really REALLY mean it! This girl is hangry! (that was not a typo)

Luckily, it is Meatless Monday which is my favorite day of the week! I feel like I always try something new on Meatless Monday. Apparently, my goal in life is to do everything I can to convince the husband that Meatless Monday should be his favorite as well. I think tonights basil pasta is getting him much closer. Made with fresh ingredients and topped with delicious sautéed veggies and parmesan cheese, this is absolutely delicious!

This recipe can easily be vegan as well. Simply opt out the parmesan cheese and replace with nutritional yeast or extra good olive oil and you are set! Now, go pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy some pasta on this lovely Monday! 😉

***See NOTES below for Vegan

Ingredients

For Pesto:

• 2/3 C macadamia nuts, roasted and unsalted
• 1 C fresh basil
• 1/4 C parmesan cheese
• 1/3 C good olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Optional: 1/2 lemon, juiced

Pasta Dish:

• 1 box DeCecco Spaghetti (or your favorite brand)
• 3 Tbsp vegan butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green zucchini, halved and cut into half moons
• 1 yellow zucchini, halved and cut into half moons
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle in some salt and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 C pasta water before draining.
2. If needing to toast nuts for your pesto first, begin by preheating oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and toast nuts for 10-12 minutes.
3. Place roasted nuts in a food processor and blend until coarse mixture. Add remaining ingredients and blend for an additional minute until creamy. If too thick, add splash of water, lemon juice, or additional olive oil. Set aside.
4. Melt butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add zucchini to pan and season with salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning. Sauté until browned, about 6-8 minutes. **I also added halved cherry tomatoes because I had them. Have fun with the recipe and add additional vegetables if you’d like!
5. In a pot, toss cooked pasta with pesto. Add pasta water if desired (this will thin sauce out).
6. Serve and top with cooked zucchini. Sprinkle additional parmesan and fresh basil. Enjoy!

NOTES:

For vegan pesto, replace parmesan cheese with 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast or just opt out completely.

Homemade pesto will last up to 5 days in the fridge in an air tight container.