Farfalle with Mint Walnut Pesto

Making your own pesto is just about as easy as it gets – ours uses a fragrant mix of fresh mint and basil, while walnuts offer an omega-3-rich alternative to pine nuts!

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Servings
4
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Duration
25 min

Ingredients

  • 1/2 packed cup fresh basil (with stems)
  • 1/2 packed cup fresh mint (with stems)
  • 1/4 cup toasted unsalted walnuts
  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
  • 1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 8 oz whole-wheat farfalle (TRY:
  • Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Bow Tie Pasta)
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • 9 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
  • Sea salt, to taste

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare pesto: To a food processor, add basil, mint, walnuts, Parmesan and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pulse until roughly chopped, five to seven times, scraping down bowl as needed. Add oil and lemon juice and process for 10 to 15 seconds or until a thick, slightly chunky pesto forms.
  3. (NOTE: Try to not process to a smooth paste, keep it slightly chunky.)
  4. To boiling water, add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions.
  5. Before draining pasta, ladle about 1/2 cup cooking water into a heat-proof measuring cup and set aside. Return drained pasta to pot and add tomatoes, artichokes and pesto.
  6. Place on low heat and stir to combine.
  7. If more moisture is desired, add reserved pasta cooking water 1 tbsp at a time to achieve desired texture.
  8. Heat until vegetables are heated through, about 2 minutes.
  9. Season with salt and additional pepper.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size 1 3/4 cups of pesto pasta
  • Calories 345
  • Carbohydrate Content 52 g
  • Cholesterol Content 3 mg
  • Fat Content 13 g
  • Fiber Content 12 g
  • Protein Content 13 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 2 g
  • Sodium Content 137 mg
  • Sugar Content 4 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g