Soba Noodles w/ Parsley Pesto
Enjoy pesto? Try this parsley pesto recipe instead of traditional basil. It’s wonderful and fragrant on noodles or pasta. 
Parsley Pesto Recipe with Soba Noodles
Margaret Roach walked away, and not for her morning hit of caffeine, but from a highly success career as Editorial Director in bustling New York City and traded it all for peace and solitude in the rural town of 300. She took the chance, and found the courage to take care of herself first and left it all for more time digging in the dirt, working in the garden and finding the tranquility that she craved so long for.
A Way to Garden Book
Margaret is a renaissance woman, an artist, a crafter, and gardener who has found her peace by doing everything that she loves and shares it on her New York Times award winning garden blog, A Way To Garden.
This book is the perfect feast for anyone looking to find inspiration and focus back in life. This parsley pesto recipe is inspired by Margaret, from one of her many valuable posts on cooking from the garden. Parsley is often overlooked when it comes to pesto. And reading her post was a such a refreshing change from basil pesto.
If you love pesto, you will love this parsley pesto recipe. It’s so simple, fresh and full of flavor, you won’t miss the basil at all. You can use any type of noodle or pasta that you prefer, but our choice was buckwheat soba noodles. With Spring approaching, it felt so appropriate to prepare the parsley pesto with something delicate and healthy to bring in the new, revitalizing weather.
Soba with Parsley Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 oz. dried Soba Noodles
- 3/4 cup roughly chopped Italian Parsley (flat leaf parsley)
- 2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts , toasted *see head note
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Grape Seed Oil , or other neutral tasting oil
Instructions
- Cook soba: Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add soba noodles, stir as they soften, and bring water back up to a simmer (not a boil). Simmer for 6-7 minutes or according to package directions. Noodles should still have a slight firmness, and not be mushy.
- Strain soba and rinse well using the correct water temperature. *If serving warm, rinse under hot water, if serving soba at room temperature, rinse under cold water.
- While soba cooks, make parsley sauce. Combine parsley, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, and grape seed oil in a food processor (preferably in smaller bowl if possible) and blend ingredients together until smooth.
- Toss noodles with sauce and serve.
Nutrition Information per Serving
We have a traditional and easy basil pesto recipe here if you have an abundance of garden basil. It’s a great staple to have in the fridge. Try this pesto on our heirloom tomato tart recipe.
She sounds amazingly brave.
I can’t wait to try the Soba noodles myself; your dish looks wonderful! I’m drawn to the fabulous photography in your blog too. I am *right* in the middle of Margaret Roach’s book ‘And I Shall Have Some Peace There,’ and I can hardly put it down. This book came along at just the perfect time for me, and I am so grateful. I would love to win a copy so I can pass it along to a girlfriend!
The pesto and soba look like a wonderful combination. I look forward to trying this!
Oh this looks absolutely gorgeous. My husband is allergic to nuts — do you think I could use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds in place of the pine nuts? In any case, I would LOVE the chance to win this amazing book!
Both of those seeds should work fine. You could even leave out the nuts and seeds altogether if you wanted. Let us know how it turns out.
Stunning photography. Love the light & the hues, and the ceramics of course. And yes, what an amazing lady Margaret is!! Salut!! I would love to own that book.
I walked away twice-once in ’94, and again last April-for good this time. When dread became the first feeling in the morning, I knew it was time to go.
I love that there is an adventure waiting for me me every morning when I wake up–sometimes a few. I can choose which one I will follow, and that choice is now what shapes my life.
Lovely post-reaffirming.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Follow your bliss Margaret!
It has been a dream of mine for some time to be able to have a great garden (although a small one)
and be able to cook using all of my fresh produce. This book looks like a way to inspire all of us to get moving towards our own personal dreams and goals. Even small steps count if they are in the right direction.
Sanity has a price. That’s how I look at work. If it’s driving you insane, there’s no amount of money that can justify staying there. What an adventure Margaret must be having! Thanks for this post with a great recipe AND some tidbits of wisdom!
What a courageous move and an inspiring story! Will definitely be checking out her blog! Thanks 🙂
Soba noodles are my favorite. I love the parsley pesto too! I have been reading a lot lately and can’t wait to check out this book. Thanks!
Who doesn’t fantsize about walking away, at least sometimes?
I love Margret’s blog and I’m sure the book will be wonderful.
Those photos, as usual, are stunning.
Beautiful photos! I am sure this is a lovely book. I can relate to wanting to up and leave the city and move to a small town. We see people doing this all the time when we meet the farmers. Much can be said for the quality of life that is found on a farm growing your own food.
As an empty nester, my job disappeared over time. I look forward to reading the book and the blog for inspiration on my next adventures.
Looks delicious! Love the color!
That book sounds like just what I need. Curling up with a good book and some pesto sounds like a perfect afternoon.