Harvest everything growing in your summer garden right now (fresh zucchini, sweet tomatoes, and fragrant basil!) and make this simple summer pesto pasta with your favorite pasta of choice (organic pasta, brown rice pasta, chickpea pasta – you know the drill; there’s an alt. pasta for every taste preference out there!) You can even swap pasta for zucchini zoodles for a veggie-loaded option, if you’d like!

This pesto is a beautiful way to use a bounty of nutrient-dense summer produce. You can even use it as a salad dressing or topper on roasted vegetables, too.

Pesto is one of my favorite summer recipes. It not only uses summer bounty, it’s vibrant, nourishing and packed with all sorts of good-for-you ingredients including extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and lemon juice.

Basil, the star of pesto, is a source of trace vitamins and minerals. Notably, fresh basil contains vitamin K and antioxidant compounds associated with anti-inflammatory properties. Extra virgin olive oil adds healthy monounsaturated fatty acids associated with lowered levels of inflammation and hearth health.

Simple Summer Pesto

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil leaves (plus a few more to garnish)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled (depending on your love of garlic!)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, or swap to nutritional yeast to make dairy-free
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Pasta:
1 box pasta of choice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, shaved lengthwise using a vegetable peeler
¼ cup Parmesan grated parmesan cheese, to garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare pesto! Add all pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until combined, yet still chunky. Add in another tablespoon of olive oil or lemon juice to thin, if necessary.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and add to a large bowl with cherry tomatoes and shaved zucchini.

3. Add pesto and toss well to coat. Serve pesto and garnish with additional fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!