Transform your health with our #1-rated Forks Meal Planner. Click here to try it FREE for 14 days!

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 9 cups
  • Serving size: 2¼ cups
  • Print/save recipe

This easy linguine with mushroom pesto is fresh, filling, and full of flavor—not to mention, it comes together in just 30 minutes. It all starts by blending sautéed mushrooms in a food processor with basil, garlic, and walnuts to create an umami-rich pesto that’s a bit thicker and chunkier than your traditional herbs-oriented pesto. Hearty whole wheat noodles are tossed in the savory sauce and then topped with a bright mixture of lemony white beans and arugula for extra substance. The lemon juice and zest brighten both the earthiness of the mushrooms and the slight bitterness of the arugula, creating a symphony of Italian-inspired flavors that are bound to make your taste buds sing. 

For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:

By Ellen Boeke,

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. dry whole wheat linguine
  • 1 lb. fresh button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup walnut pieces, toasted
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (1½ cups)
  • 3 cups fresh arugula
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot.
  • Meanwhile, in an extra-large nonstick skillet cook mushrooms and garlic over medium-high 5 minutes or until tender and liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushroom mixture to a food processor. Add the next five ingredients (through pepper) and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Cover and pulse until uniformly blended.
  • In a bowl combine beans, arugula, lemon zest, and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
  • Toss mushroom mixture with pasta to coat, adding pasta cooking water a little at a time as needed to make creamy. Serve pasta topped with bean mixture.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (2¼ cups): 463 calories, 84 g carbohydrates, 21 g protein, 8 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 344 mg sodium, 13 g fiber, 6 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (6)

(5 from 3 votes)

Recipe Rating

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Julie

Lovely recipe, delicious, quick and easy! Made as is, except used roasted smoky flavored walnuts in the pesto, yum yum.

Julie

Delicious! Made as written, we loved it and will make often. Thank you!

Laura

Why is there no link to add to my planner? If you are going to gill my inbox and I am a meal pla subscriber, why do I not have that ability?

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Laura, There is sometimes a lag between when a recipe is newly published and uploaded to the Meal Planner. Please check back in a few days, and in the meantime, I'll double-check with our Meal Planner crew!

Sharon Ann Dunford

in the recipe what can I substitute for the toasted walnuts. Cannot have nuts.

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Sharon, You could leave the walnuts out. Another option is sunflower or pumpkin seeds, which are often a good substitute for nuts if you can tolerate them. We haven't tested them here, but they might be worth a try if you want to add richness to the pesto. I sometimes use sunflower seeds in pesto when I don't have the recommended nuts. Let us know if you try it!

About the Author

Ellen Boeke headshot

About the Author

Ellen Boeke

Ellen Boeke has more than 25 years of experience as a recipe developer and food editor. She holds Bachelor's of Science degrees in consumer food science and journalism from Iowa State University and attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. Find her on LinkedIn.
See More from this Author

Join our mailing list

Get free recipes and the latest info on living a happy, healthy plant-based lifestyle.

By providing your email address, you consent to receive newsletter emails from Forks Over Knives. We value your privacy and will keep your email address safe. You may unsubscribe from our emails at any time.