I can’t believe I’m saying this, but introducing my brand new SHOW – MAKE IT VEGAN! Only on my YouTube – so make sure to subscribe! My first ever long-form series where I show you traditionally non-veg dishes, and make them deliciously vegan! I’ll be your host – Priyanka Naik! We have some amazingly talented guests along the way, delicious recipes, and it’ll be accessible to all! Tune in every Tuesday at 10am for a brand new episode until the end of 2024! Episode 1 – Spinach Jalapeño Pesto is LIVE! 

This recipe was born out of food waste – I kid you not! I gathered up leftover ingredients from a TV set, brought it home and decided to film my dinner. And this Spinach Jalapeño Pesto became one of my most viral videos! So I figured it was a good time to dedicate an episode showing you exactly how I make this dish. It’s so simple, can be made ahead of time, and it’s nutrient packed. Now, I’m sure I’m going to have the nonnas and pesto connoisseurs come at me saying this isn’t “authentic,” but if it tastes great then why the hate?! 

Grateful to have Mill supporting our series, to helping me keep these episodes (and my home!) food waste free. With no smell, easy clean-up and sleek design, having Mill as my kitchen sidekick is a no brainer! Discover MILL – your at-home food recycler to help keep food out of landfills. 

SPINACH JALAPEÑO PESTO:

serves 2-4

• 1 8-oz bag baby spinach – washed
• 1 bunch (6-8oz) fresh sweet basil
• 1-2 jalapeños – roughly chopped
• 2-3 stalks scallions – chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic – roughly chopped
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• about 1/4 good quality olive oil
• 8-oz giant fusilli – Colonne Pompei
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta boiling water
• almond parmigiana (recipe below)

Almond Parmigiana:

• 1/4 heaping cup of whole skinless almonds – lightly toasted
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• pinch of flakey sea salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. To make the pesto – bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. To the side, make sure to have a large bowl of ice reserved topped with some cold water. Blanch your baby spinach for 2-3 minutes until softened. Remove and immediately place into the ice bath. Let sit for 1-2 minutes.

2. To a blender, add the drained spinach (squeeze out any excess water), basil, garlic, jalapeños, white portion of chopped scallion, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Top with olive oil and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Bring the same large pot of water to a rolling boil. Heavily salt it with kosher salt. Add in the giant fusilli and boil for about 8-10 minutes until al dente. Reserve about 1/2-1 cup of pasta cooking water.

4. While the pasta cook, roughly chop the almonds and add to a mortar and pestle with the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Grind down until it resembles parmigiana cheese.

5. Place a large pan/wok over medium heat, add in the cooked pasta (directly from the boiling water), pour on the pesto sauce and add in about 1/4 of the pasta cooking water. Toss to coat and taste – adjust for salt if necessary.

6. Pour onto a large serving dish. Garnish with olive oil, black pepper, scallion tops, basil and almond parmigiana. Serve immediately.

Did you like Episode 1 of Make It Vegan? If so, make sure