Low Sodium Classic Paneer Pesto Pasta

Total time35 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time20 min

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the pasta

12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
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1 tsp salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
⅓ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Chef's tip
Choose a grated-style vegan parmesan and use the same amount.
½ tsp salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the paneer

14 oz paneer, cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola oil or sunflower oil)
¼ tsp salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.
¼ tsp black pepper

For finishing

½ cup reserved pasta water
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

For serving

2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated, for serving (optional)
Omit this
This ingredient likely doesn’t work for the diet.
fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tsp salt, then cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente — tender with a slight resistance at the center. Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta through a colander.
2
While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, stream in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and bright green, scraping down the sides once.

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