I absolutely love a good pesto pasta recipe, especially with artichokes and mushrooms. There are so many variations available. It is easy to make and customizable if you do not have all the ingredients on hand. I decided to make a new recipe with more nutrition added to it.
This artichoke pesto is full of flavor. It is similar to a basic recipe only it has a nutritional boost to it and more flavor and texture thanks to the added artichoke antipasto.
I certainly don’t make pesto pasta enough mainly because a lot of fresh basil is hard to come by. If I can only find a small batch of basil, I will add in some other herbs or even spinach to help bulk up the recipe.
The sautéed mushrooms in this artichoke pesto pasta give it a hearty texture and make it the perfect meatless dish. Don’t skimp on your mushrooms, the more the merrier.
How to make pesto thick
I get asked how I make my pesto so thick every time I post it on instagram. let me tell you, I prefer it thick! Perfecting the consistency is an art, I have been practicing my nut ratio for a few years now and it makes a big difference. If you slowly add olive oil and water in, you will get it the consistency. For this particular recipe I suggest you thin it out just a bit so it covers all the noodles.
Easy Artichoke Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 5 ounces of basil (2 big bunches)
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup grated pecorino or parmesan
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ⅛ tbsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil * you may need extra so keep to the side
- ¼ cup chopped marinated artichoke
- 2 servings of cooked pasta
- 2 cups sliced baby portabello mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place 1/2 of the basil in a food processor. Add the nuts, artichoke, cheese, garlic, and salt and process/blend until the ingredients are finely chopped – do not over blend
- Scrape the sides and blend again until there are no solid pieces of nuts or basil
- Add oil a little at a time. Scrape sides again if needed. Feel free to adjust salt basil or nuts to your liking. Pesto is very forgiving and can be made anyway you prefer.
- Boil water and make pasta. Cook until al dente
- Sauté mushrooms with oil in a sauté pan on the stove. Cook for about 7 minutes or until mushrooms have a nice crisp to them
- Add artichoke pesto into warm noodles, mix well. Add in mushrooms and serve hot. Sprinkle access pecorino over the top.
Q: How long with this artichoke pesto keep? A: About 4 days
Q: My artichoke pesto is too thick, what should I do to thin it out? A: Add a little water or more olive oil and stir in until you reach the desired texture
Q: I am vegan will this artichoke pesto pasta work without the cheese? A: Yes! I have made it several times without the cheese. Just add a pinch more salt to the mix to make up for the cheese.
Q: Can I make this artichoke pesto pasta with zoodles or other veggie style pastas? A: Yes! I love it with zoodles
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