Lemon and Herb Ricotta Pasta
Creamy, decadent, flavorful, and (best of all) quick to prepare! The whole thing comes together in the amount of time it takes to boil the pasta. Toasted walnuts, zesty fresh herbs, and bright lemon come together in a unique and perfectly balanced pesto, finished off with creamy and light vegan ricotta.
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry penne or other pasta
- 8 oz broccoli florets
- ¼ cup raw walnut pieces
- 2 TBS chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1.5 TBS chopped fresh basil
- 1.5 TBS chopped fresh tarragon
- 1.5 TBS capers
- 1 tsp yellow miso
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Kite Hill almond ricotta
Instructions
- Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (around 9 minutes, varies depending on pasta shape).
- Steam the broccoli florets in a small pot over 1 inch of water for 5 minutes, just until soft to the bite.
- While the pasta water is coming to a boil, heat a small/medium dry skillet over medium high heat. Add the walnuts. Toast until they are golden brown and you can see the oil on them. Stir somewhat frequently and keep a close eye to prevent burning.
- Add the toasted walnuts, herbs, capers, miso, and garlic to a food processor. Process until walnuts are a very fine crumb, but stop before they turn to walnut butter, just a few seconds.
- Place the ground walnut mixture in a medium sized bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the almond ricotta (if using.)
- Combine the cooked pasta and broccoli with the sauce and serve warm.
Notes
I use Kite Hill almond ricotta. It has a very light and subtle flavor. If making your own ricotta out of tofu, I suggest processing x-firm tofu to a very fine crumb, and season with salt and lemon juice. Avoid powerful flavors like onion and garlic. The walnut pesto is delicious before the ricotta is added, so you may omit the ricotta if you wish or if you can’t find it.
Can you talk about protein and how much we need ?
Hi Christine! I’m not qualified to speak about nutrition from a medical standpoint, but I can share what I have learned! It is my understanding that as long as you are eating a varied healthful plant based diet (meaning you’re not eating the same few things all time, and you’re not eating mostly junk) you will get enough protein as well as all of the other nutrients your body needs. There is a great website called Forks Over Knives with tons of science and fact based info about the plant based diet. Forks Over Knives began with the largest study pertaining to diet’s relation to overall health called the China Study. Here is a link that will bring you to some info about protein on their website: https://www.forksoverknives.com/?s=protein#gs.golmun