Wholewheat pasta with pesto and vegetables

A comforting, balanced pasta dish: wholewheat pasta coated in pesto and combined with seasonal vegetables. Quick, tasty and higher in fibre than white pasta, it is the ideal weeknight dinner when you want something good and healthy in 20 minutes.

Prep time: 10 min  |  Cooking time: 15 min  |  Servings: 4  |  Difficulty: Very easy

Calculated per serving from the Anses Ciqual 2025 values for each ingredient, based on the quantities in the list. Household measures (spoonfuls, pieces) use average weights. 250 kcal · 6 g protein · 27 g carbohydrate · 12 g fat

Ingredients

• 300 g wholewheat pasta
• 1 courgette
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 3 tbsp pesto
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Parmesan, basil

Method

1. Cook the wholewheat pasta al dente in salted water.
2. Meanwhile, fry the diced courgette and the cherry tomatoes in the olive oil.
3. Drain the pasta (keeping a little of the cooking water) and mix it with the pesto and a little cooking water.
4. Add the vegetables and sprinkle with Parmesan and basil.

Nutritional benefits

Wholewheat pasta provides complex carbohydrate and fibre, for lasting energy and a lower glycaemic index than white pasta, which prolongs fullness. The vegetables (courgette, tomato) add fibre, vitamins and antioxidants such as lycopene. Pesto, rich in olive oil and basil, supplies good fats. By increasing the proportion of vegetables and measuring the pesto, you get a pasta dish that is tasty but balanced.

Variations and substitutions

• Homemade pesto (basil, pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan) to control the quality.
• More protein: add chicken, chickpeas or mozzarella.
• Gluten-free: legume or corn pasta.
• Other vegetables: spinach, broccoli, pepper, aubergine.

Storage and making ahead

This dish keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge and can be eaten cold as a pasta salad the next day. Reheat with a drizzle of oil or water. Keep a little fresh pesto to revive the flavours.

💡 Good to know

Always keep a little of the pasta cooking water: added to the pesto, it creates a creamy sauce that coats the pasta perfectly without any extra fat.

Read also

Discover more vegetarian recipes · healthy & balanced recipes.

The foods in this recipe: pasta · courgette · cherry tomatoes · pesto.

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