Rich in proteins and fiber this pasta with rocket pesto and beans is perfect every day.
Making this pasta with rocket pesto is quick and easy. This dish is light but the pesto gives a real kick to its flavor. I’ve discovered it while reading a magazine, and in no time I decided I had to try it.
Recipes like this are a quick fix when you do not want to cook. It’s also a great way to eat beans and add a lot of fibers to your diet.
Pasta with rocket pesto and beans: health facts
A vegetarian dish every one will love, meat lovers included. This dish is not only tasty but also incredibly healthy. The perfect dish for lunch boxes, brunches or buffet. From proteins to good fats let’s see the many benefits of this recipe.
Proteins: Did you know that when you pair pasta with beans or pulses you can get the perfect protein intake? Beans alone and pasta alone do not contain what they call “complete proteins”. However when you pair these two together you get a complete amino acidic profile and a perfect balance. This means that everyone trying to eat more protein, can eat pasta and beans and get all the nutrition the body needs.
Fibers: Rocket, beans and nuts are all rich in fibers and are ideal for our microbiome. And if you serve this as a pasta salad the fiber intake skyrockets. This is because when you cook pasta and then cool it down, the carbohydrates turn into resistant starches. Fibers are actually probiotics, they feed the bacteria in our gut. Specific prebiotics can increase the population of good bacteria in our microbiome. This means that when you eat a good fibers you’ll end up with a better health.
Antioxidants: tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. They’re also rich in vitamins and minerals.
Good fats: The nuts in the recipe are rich in minerals and good fats that are crucial for our heart health.
Can I use regular pesto? Variations and tips
Sure you can! as always you can use your fantasy to enhance the taste of your recipes. If you cannot find arugula in the store or in your farmers market, you can use regular pesto or make another pesto. Try using carrot greens to make your pesto, it’s really delicious and you will turn a waste into a tasty meal. Moreover, carrot greens contain twice the amount of the good stuff that is in the carrot itself!
You can also prepare you rocket pesto ahead of time and keep it ready in the fridge, as you would with regular pesto. You just need to make sure the pesto is always covered with oil.
Not sure how to cook pasta to perfection? Learn here how to cook pasta like an Italian!
A very versatile dish, this pasta with rocket pesto and beans is easy to make and can be eaten warm or served cold as pasta salad. Ideal for your lunch box! Rich in vegetables, protein and good fats.
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Keyword beans and rocket pasta, quick pasta recipe, rocket pesto pasta, summer pasta salad
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 20 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
380grof short pasta
a bunch of wild rocket
400grof canned navy or cannellini beans
250grof cherry tomatoes
40grof parmigiano
30grnuts of choiceyou can use almonds, pine nuts, pecans or cashews
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bring the water to a boil, add 30gr of salt and your favorite short pasta, and cook following the direction on the packet.
Put in the blender the wild rocket, the almonds, the parmigiano, a little salt and the oil. Blend well all and set aside. If the pesto is too thick, add a couple of tablespoon of the water in which the pasta is cooking.
Drain the beans, rinse them and drain them again to eliminate the excess water. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into four wedges.
Into a large bowl put the rocket pesto, the tomatoes and navy beans and adjust saltiness to your taste.
Once the pasta is cooked drain it well. And add it to the bowl with the pesto.
Toss until the pasta is evenly seasoned.
Now it’s ready to be served. You can also decide to prepare it in advance and serve it as a pasta salad.
