Is pesto healthy? To answer this question, we must answer another question. What makes a meal healthy? Well, you usually want the meal to have at least one of the following nutrients: antioxidants, omega-3s, monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Pesto contains them all!
So is Pesto Healthy?
Pesto has many healthy aspects. Classic pesto is usually made with garlic, basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. Basil, garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts all contain various antioxidants. Olive oil and pine nuts also provide a good source of healthy fats! Pine nuts are not only a good source of healthy fats and antioxidants but are also a good source of many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.
Although classic pesto has many healthy ingredients, you can make pesto a powerhouse of nutrition by slightly altering the recipe. Below is one of my favorite nutrient-packed pesto pasta recipes!
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What Makes This Pesto Pasta Healthy
Let’s break down the nutrients of this powerful pesto.
Dark Leafy Greens
You will notice one of the ingredients is dark leafy greens. It doesn’t matter which kind, in fact, I recommend using a variety of greens. In the picture below I used a combination of kale and spinach. Dark leafy greens contain Herculean antioxidants. These anti-inflammatory antioxidants have been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, and dementia, promote brain function, support the immune system, and even help with mood and mood disorders. Dark leafy greens are also great sources of crucial vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Nuts
Again, I didn’t specify which nuts because a variety of nuts is beneficial to our bodies. Nuts contain healthy fats, polyphenol antioxidants, and fiber. In the picture below, I used walnuts. Walnuts are a good source of ALA Omega-3s as well.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional Yeast not only adds a nice cheesy flavor to this recipe but also contributes many beneficial nutrients. It also contains antioxidants and vitamin B12. It is also a complete protein and a good source of Beta Glucan fiber. Both nutrients are super filling. Beta-glucan may offer protection against heart disease and some forms of cancer, and according to research, may even help reduce symptoms of seasonal allergies.
Seeds (Flaxseed, Chia Seed, Hemp Seed)
These three seeds are packed with nutrients like fiber, ALA Omega-3, antioxidants, protein, and many vitamins and minerals. So, we have yet again another great source of protein and fiber! Did you notice this recipe has four great sources of fiber! Talk about one filling Pesto sauce! I quickly feel full and satisfied whenever I eat this Healthy Pesto!
Garlic
Garlic is a great good source of vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Manganese, and Selenium. This tasty herb is also prebiotic. A prebiotic promotes a healthy gut by feeding the good bacteria in your gut. Garlic also promotes a healthy immune system and may even have anti-viral properties.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
EVOO is an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fat called oleic acid as well as antioxidants. EVOO also contains another healthy we talked about earlier, Omega-3s.
Lower Calorie Pesto Pasta Substitutions
To make this healthy pesto lower in calories, you can substitute the whole-grain pasta for konjac noodles or zoodles.
Demo Video of How to Make Healthy Mushroom Pesto Pasta
Healthy Mushroom Pesto Pasta
Yield: 3 ½ cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-5
Ingredients for Powerhouse Pesto:
- 2 cups of Dark Leafy Greens, washed (Ex. Spinach, Kale, Arugula, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens)
- 1/3 cup of Basil
- 1/3 cup of nuts (Ex. Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews, Pine)
- ¼ cup of seeds (Ex. Flaxseed, Chia Seed, Hemp Seed)
- ½ cup of grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup of Nutritional Yeast
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic
- ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
- ¼ tsp of salt
- ¼ tsp of black pepper
Instructions for Powerhouse Pesto
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor.
- Blend the ingredients until the consistency is creamy. If the sauce is not “liquid” enough, you can add more extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients For Pesto Pasta:
- 1 cup of Powerhouse Pesto sauce
- 1 cup slice cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups of sliced mushrooms, washed
- 2 ½ cups of whole grain pasta, cooked (You can also use other healthy pastas like veggie pasta, chickpea pasta, buck wheat pasta, zoodles, etc.)
Instructions for Powerhouse Pesto:
- Combine pesto sauce, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and cooked pasta in pan and heat on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the pesto and pasta are warm.
- Cover the pan and remove the pan from the heat.
- Let the pesto pasta sit while covered for 5 minutes.
Healthy Mushroom Pesto Pasta
This mushroom pesto pasta is super delicious, healthy, and easy to make.
Ingredients for Pesto Pasta
- 2 cups dark leafy green of your choice (kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, etc.)
- 1/3 cup basil
- 1/3 cup nuts of your choice (pine, almonds, walnuts, etc.)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients for the Pesto Pasta
- 1 cup Pesto sauce (see pesto recipe below)
- 1 cup sliced, washed mushrooms
- 2 1/2 cups whole-grain pasta (You can also use zoodles, chickpea pasta, or konjac noodles.)
Instructions for Pesto
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend the ingredients until the consistency is creamy. If the sauce is not “liquid” enough, you can add more extra virgin olive oil.
Instructions for Mushroom Pesto Pasta
Combine pesto sauce, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and cooked pasta in a pan and heat on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until the pesto and pasta are warm. Cover the pan and remove the pan from the heat. Let the pesto pasta sit while covered for 5minutes.
