Penne Pasta with Seaweed Vegan Pesto

I love this simple, healthy dried seaweed vegan pasta recipe to serve alongside pasta. After all, dried seaweed is packed with nutrition (learn more here) and umami flavor. Plus, seaweed is a traditional, planet-friendly food we should include in our diets more often. And it’s a lot more versatile than you might think. What is pesto, after all? It’s an Italian basil, garlic, pine nut and olive oil blend that adds a robust, herbal flavor to classic dishes. And you can take pesto up a notch with a sprinkle of seaweed. Go ahead, whiz up this pesto with seaweed sprinkles, arugula, basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil to toss into cooked pasta in my recipe for Penne Pasta with Seaweed Vegan Pesto. And don’t stop there! Add this seaweed vegan pesto to sandwiches, breakfast tofu scrambles, baked tempeh, and grain salads. If you’re gluten-free, just select gluten-free pasta.

I created this Penne Pasta with Seaweed Vegan Pesto for Food + Planet’s Blue Food as Medicine Cookbook, along with 19 other dietitians who created blue foods (sea vegetables, and bivalves) recipes. I was also the co-editor of the cookbook project, which also meant planning a photo shoot with the amazing Vanessa Stump in her studio (pictured below). Check out the video for this easy, healthy, delicious recipe here. And learn more about blue foods in our webinar on blue foods with Today’s Dietitian here.

Penne Pasta with Seaweed Vegan Pesto

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(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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5 from 5 reviews

• Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Turn to dried seaweed to make a nutritious, eco-friendly vegan pesto filled with umami goodness to serve with penne pasta.

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Ingredients

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Pasta:

• Water
• 1 pound dried penne pasta

Seaweed Vegan Pesto:

• 1/3 cup dried dulse (or 1 1/2 tablespoons dulse granules)
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves and stems
• 2 cups packed arugula leaves and stems
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Topping:

• 1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Fill a large pot two-thirds full of water, cover with a lid, and heat over medium-high heat until boiling.
2. Add penne pasta, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Cook according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes) until al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, prepare pesto. Place dried dulse, basil, arugula, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, and lemon juice in the container of a food processor. Pulse on low until finely chopped, while gradually adding olive oil to the food processor through the spout. Process until smooth. May need to stop and scrape down sides while processing the pesto. Remove from the food processor and place in a large serving bowl. Season the pesto with salt and pepper according to preference, stirring well to combine. Add hot, drained pasta, and toss together with tongs to distribute the pesto well.
4. Top with vegan shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. May chill and serve as a cold pesto pasta salad, if desired.

Notes

Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.

You can skip the penne and use the pesto in your favorite sandwiches as a spread, to marinade kebabs, or to serve as a dip with crackers and veggies.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Category: Entree
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 265
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 83 mg
• Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 44 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 9 g

For more pasta recipes, check out my favorites:

Lentil Walnut Bolognese with Spaghetti
Mushroom Bomb Lentil Pasta
Fresh Cranberry Beans with Pasta and Greens
Vegan Baked Mediterranean Lasagna
Swiss Chard Pecan Lasagna
Vegan Pasta Amatriciana

Read more about the benefits of sea vegetables here. And check out our webinar on blue foods with Today’s Dietitian here.