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Who doesn't love pasta? If you're a big fan of pasta but getting tired of the same old recipes, this unique and delicious vegetarian recipe is right for you. It's easy to make, requires few ingredients and makes little mess. It's also incredibly versatile, and can be made vegan for those who have special dietary requirements. Keep reading at the end of the recipe for suggestions about what to serve with pine nut pasta and other information.

Ingredients

Pasta (rigatoni, penne, spiral are all fine - or any pasta you have on hand)

1 Yellow onion

Olive oil - 2 Tablespoons

Fresh spinach - 4 cups

Pine nuts - 2 cups

Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package and set aside.

Dice the onion.

Tear stems off of spinach.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

Put onion in the pan and sautee until edges begin to brown.

Sprinkle onion with salt and pepper.

Add pine nuts to the pan and heat until the outside begins to brown.

Add spinach to the pan and stir it until the spinach begins to wilt. Remove from heat.

Top the pasta with the onion, pine nut and spinach combination.

Sprinkle pasta with parmesan cheese, salt and cracked black pepper.

Serve!

Pine nut pasta is an excellent dish to serve at special occasions because it looks fancy compared to many other types of pasta, but it's easy to prepare for large groups.

What to Serve with Pine Nut Pasta

If you eat meat and would like to add some extra protein to your pine nut pasta dish, serve with a side of baked chicken.

Pine nut pasta is delicious with garlic bread, or if you're feeling adventurous, sautee sliced mushrooms in garlic and olive oil. Place the sauteed mushroom mixture on slices of bread and bake in the oven.

Seeking the perfect salad to accompany pine nut pasta? Combine chopped romaine lettuce, black beans (drained and rinsed), feta cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve.

Are Pine Nuts a Nut?

If you or someone in your household has a nut allergy, you may have concerns about pine nuts. Technically, pine nuts are a seed. However, you should check with your doctor before ingesting anything that you believe could be a potential allergen. Your doctor can help you decide whether this particular ingredient is safe.

Want to Make This Recipe Vegan? Here's How

Pine nut pasta is already vegetarian. If you want to make it vegan, replace the parmesan cheese with sprinkles of nutritional yeast at the end. You'll get the same nutty-cheesy flavor that you find with parmesan, but it's dairy free (and healthy!).

Tag: Dinner