Celery Pesto Pasta
May 12, 2021, Updated Jun 07, 2023
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When it comes to adding flavor to a home-cooked meal, nothing quite does the job like a good pesto. This versatile addition is perfect for just about any kind of pasta: add it to the sauce or just toss the cooked pasta in it. And there’s nothing quite like a juicy pesto-crusted chicken breast!
It’s simple to make this blend of seasonings at home — and today, we’ll show you how to make a unique Celery Pesto Pasta that adds new flavor to this beloved kitchen standby.
How to Make Celery Pesto Pasta
Celery Pesto Pasta is the kind of dish that will bring your family to the dinner table before you’ve even announced that dinner is ready. Featuring the fragrant flavors of celery leaves, garlic, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese, this creamy pesto fills the shells of orecchiette pasta. Each bite drips with delicious pesto flavor.
RELATED: Must-Try Celery Recipes
Pesto traditionally uses pine nuts to ground its garlic-y flavor, but we’ve swapped them out for walnuts in this recipe. This gives our pesto a fuller, creamier texture and helps amplify the taste of the celery leaves. We rounded out the flavor with salt and olive oil and topped the dish with a few whole celery leaves and black and red pepper.
To start, prepare the pasta according to the directions on the box. Then get started on the pesto. Making this pesto recipe in a food processor yields the best results. Blend the ingredients together in the processor, toss them into the cooked pasta, and presto! Your Celery Pesto Pasta is ready to serve!
Celery Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box or bag orecchiette pasta cooked and drained
- Leaves from 1 bunch celery including hearts
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 cup walnuts
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup olive oil approx.
- cracked black pepper to taste
- (Optional) Crushed red pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- In a food processor, combine celery leaves, garlic, walnuts, cheese, and salt. Pulse together.
- Turn processor on and slowly pour in approximately 1 cup olive oil until pesto is close liquified or desired consistency.
- Remove and toss with pasta. Top with a few reserved celery leaves, salt, cracked pepper, and crushed red pepper (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Delicious and Versatile
This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare, making it perfect for busy moms on weekday nights. This entire dish takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. If you prep the pesto beforehand, all you’ll need to do is cook the pasta and toss it all together. Either way, it’s a simple way to end the day!
You can also elevate this dish by adding protein. We think chicken would make an excellent addition, but adding shrimp turns this dish into a specialty worthy of your favorite seafood restaurant. But the simplicity of this dish also means it refrigerates well. Pack it for lunch to surprise your kids or spouse with a favorite meal to break up the day.
And you don’t have to limit the way you use this pesto! Try it with other kinds of pasta and in other kinds of dishes as well. Spread it on the dough of your homemade pizzas or use it in Italian-style sandwiches.
RELATED: Serrano Pepper Pesto
Did your family love this Celery Pesto Pasta? What are your favorite ways to use pesto? Tell us in the comments or show us on Instagram @theproducemoms.
