Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups Swiss chard, stems removed
- 1/2 cup unsalted walnuts
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- 1 lemon, juice and zested
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 box pasta (I used Banza)
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath and a colander. Blanch the Swiss chard in the boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Shock immediately in the ice water. Drain by squeezing the leaves in a ball in a clean kitchen cloth.
- In a food processor, add the cooked Swiss chard, walnuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 3/4 cup olive oil. Pulse until the mixture breaks down. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the grape tomatoes and saute about 5 minutes until tomatoes begin to burst. Add the 2 cups of the Swiss chard walnut pesto (there will be some leftover) and heat through. Toss with the cooked pasta.
- Top with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
*Makes about 3 cups of pesto. Reserve leftovers in the refrigerator for about a week or freeze into an ice cube tray for later use.