Protein-Packed Quinoa Pasta with Spinach Pesto
A rejuvenating Italian-inspired pasta dish with a brain-boosting spinach pesto and high-protein quinoa pasta, perfect for an energy-boosting dinner.
⏱️
15 minutes
Prep Time
🍳
15 minutes
Cook Time
🍽️
4
Servings
🎯
Easy
Difficulty
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving
420Calories
17gProtein
58gCarbs
18gFat
Ingredients
For 4 servings
- 12 oz quinoa pasta
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cherry tomatoes, halved (for garnish)
- Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
Instructions
Follow these steps for perfect results
- Cook the quinoa pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine spinach, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
- Season the spinach pesto with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa pasta with the spinach pesto, tossing until fully coated.
- Serve the pasta garnished with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves.
Health Benefits
Nutritional advantages of this recipe
- High in protein from quinoa and walnuts for muscle and brain health.
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids from walnuts, supporting cognitive function.
- Spinach provides antioxidants to protect brain cells.
- Nutritional yeast adds B vitamins, crucial for energy production.