What can I eat with pesto instead of pasta?

Mix pesto into creamy dips, use it as a pizza sauce, spread it on sandwiches, add it to your favorite salads, toss it with roasted summer vegetables, and use it as a sauce for grilled chicken or grilled fish.

How to spruce up pesto pasta?

Additions - Some roasted or fresh cherry tomatoes would be delicious, I like to add fresh basil leaves to the top too. Pesto usually has pine nuts but you could add some extra toasted ones into the sauce. To add some greens you could mix through some chopped fresh spinach.

Do you warm up pesto before you put it over spaghetti?

PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature . If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.

What do Italians eat with pesto pasta?

Italian Tradition Pesto is the perfect sauce to enjoy with a dish of trofie (the traditional Ligurian short pasta), lasagna, potato gnocchi or as a topping for a bowl of minestrone . It can be mixed into tomato sauce to enhance the flavor of pasta dishes or used with fish fillets to make them more appetizing.

Is pesto pasta healthier than tomato sauce?

pesto and alfredo sauce are less nutrient dense than tomato sauce . however, it's your food, and it's just sauce, so I would do what you feel like and not worry too much about it. eating a balanced diet it general is more important than worrying about the “health" value of specific foods.

Is pesto better with penne or spaghetti?

Pesto, on the other hand, flourishes best when paired with thinner noodles, such as spaghetti and linguine , and with shapes that have plenty of twists, grooves, curls, and troughs. Fusilli is not only one of the most well-known pasta shapes; it's also the UK's most popular and our ultimate shape to use with pesto.

How do you make a jar of pesto go further?

Add 1/4 cup chicken stock and a bit of heavy cream, maybe 2 Tbsp, and add in my pesto .

How to improve the taste of pesto?

Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing . Add more Parmesan if you'd like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.

What makes pesto better?

Because pesto is such a strong sauce, anything you do to reduce its pungency just a little and steer it toward a sweeter, rounder-flavored sauce will help. That includes selecting a good, mild olive oil; using Pecorino Sardo cheese instead of Romano; and not toasting the pine nuts.

Can you add pesto straight from the jar?

Yes, pesto can be used straight from the jar and doesn't require cooking or heating. In fact, we actively discourage applying too much heat to pesto, as this will destroy many of the fresh flavours that producers work so hard to retain.

Rich Spiced Tomato & Aubergine Pasta with Pesto

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I love this recipe, a rich spiced tomato sauce, cubes of aubergine, comforting pasta and pesto which lifts the dish and adds tons of flavour. It’s incredibly tasty and utterly more-ish.

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I used lasagne sheets as I love having large strips of pasta gooey with the delicious sauce and chunky veg and pesto, but feel free to use any pasta of your preference.

I topped with dill which may sound unusual but I think the flavour really works.

Swaps/tips
Don’t like aubergine – use peppers or courgette.
You can use any pasta you fancy.
Add plant based cheese if you wish
Great with added pulses like butterbeans.
Use the sauce for bolognese or beans

I hope you enjoy, love Niki xx

Ingredients

2 onions sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic sliced
1 small aubergine sliced into small cubes
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp rose Harissa paste or 1 tsp Harissa paste
400 g cherry tomatoes sliced
400 g can tomatoes
1/2 jar sun dried tomatoes drained and sliced
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch chilli flakes
2 tbsp plant based milk
6 Lasagne sheets – dried not egg

For the pesto

30 g basil
50 g pine nuts
3 tbsp extra virgin olive
Juice 1/2 lemon
Pinch sea salt
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
50 g water

For the toppings

Fresh dill
A drizzle of olive oil
Chilli flakes

Instructions

In a large pan, add the olive oil and onion and then fry the onion on medium for 8-10 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and stir to combine.
Now add the aubergine and fry for 2-3 minutes to soften a little.
Add the smoked paprika, harissa, ketchup and tomato purée and stir to combine, simmer for a minute then add cherry tomatoes, sun dried and tin tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes and stir in the plant based milk

To cook the lasagne sheets

In a large flat frying pan, add 3 lasagne sheets to boiling salted water.
Boil for 12 minutes or until soft and just cooked in the middle.
Refresh in cold water, set aside.

To make the pesto

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz to combine.

To serve

Fold the lasagne sheets into the sauce.
Top with fresh dill, extra virgin olive oil and chilli flakes.

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If you recreate this recipe, tag me on Instagram:@rebelrecipes or #rebelrecipes for a chance to be featured.

More Recipes with Tomatoes, Aubergines or Pesto

Discuss this Recipe with Niki

10 Responses

Absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to make this when we have guests to show just how good vegan food can be! I didn’t have pine nuts so I made the pesto with cashews instead, really good!
Reply
1. Thanks Louise! So happy to hear that! Love, Niki xxx
  Reply
Hi Niki
I’ve just started following you and loved your recipe. I used fusilli instead of lasagne sheets. Worked a treat. Thank you
Sue K
Reply
1. Hi Sue
  Great idea!
  Love, Niki xxx
  Reply
Followed the recipe exactly and it was AMAZING! Perfect Saturday lunch. Thank you, Nikki! Love your cookbook and your blog
Reply
1. Hi Ruth
  So happy you liked! And thank you
  Much love, Niki xx
  Reply
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! Im gluten free so used quinoa- rice fusilli pasta. Decided to roast the eggplant/ aubergine with a little smoked paprika and added four large portabello mushrooms after the garlic. The spices were spot on and family loved it! Thanks Nicki. I’m going order your new cookbook- love your work. ❤️
Reply
1. Hi Tracey
  So happy to hear!Thats amazing
  Love
  Niki xx
  Reply
This just popped up and I had the ingredients to hand for the pasta dish (not the pesto unfortunately) so made it and it was oh so rich and dreamy!
Reply
1. Hi Ellen
  Happy you liked – even without the pesto!
  Love
  Niki xxx
  Reply

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Rich Spiced Tomato & Aubergine Pasta with Pesto | Rebel Recipes (2024)