Pea and Spinach Pesto Pasta proves that being a simple dish doesn’t mean you lack any pizzazz. Fresh garden flavors are the star in this dish.
All I seem to crave in Winter (Summer for my American readers) is pasta. Over the past few weeks, pasta and I have had quite some fun times, however I needed to lay off the cheesey bechamel sauces and pasta bakes (somehow extra cheese always gets involved!).
Giving up the idea of pasta entirely for a while seemed to hard. But then I had a green idea. No cheese, just green. Pea and Spinach pesto pasta was the perfect compromise. Body gets green, dinner is simple and I still get delicious pasta. Win-win yeah? 
I had a huge bunch of beautiful big deep green English Spinach left over in my fridge, and I knew exactly how I could sneak the whole bunch into a delicious meal for Jackson and I. Bright green pesto pasta sauce. Jackson is a sucker for pesto, I am a sucker for pesto and I had recently bought some fancy pasta called Casarecce that is a Sicilian pasta, by Wikipedia description, Short lengths rolled into a S shape and recommended for dishes with eggplant, ricotta or BASIL!
The meal is fairly simple to make it you have a food processor and equally as delicious if you don’t, but will be a little more chunky with chopped up spinach and whole peas.
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Pea and Spinach Pesto Pasta
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Fresh garden flavors shine in this simple yet vibrant pasta dish. A quick weeknight meal thats packed with taste.
Ingredients
- 4 oz (120 g) casarecce pasta
- 1 cup (237 ml) green peas
- 1 cup (237 ml) spinach
- 3 tbsp basil pesto
- 1 clove garlic
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- lemon and parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place pasta in a pot of salted boiling water and cook.
- In a food processor, blend peas, spinach, a clove of garlic, and a tablespoon of olive oil. Alternatively, bash, mash, and chop the ingredients.
- Once blended, mix in basil pesto and season with salt and pepper.
- Set aside.
- Just before removing pasta from the heat, reserve half a mug of pasta water.
- Strain pasta and return it to the pot.
- Mix in the pesto and add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, parmesan, and lemon (optional).
Notes
- For a smoother pesto, remove the stems from the spinach before blending.
- If fresh peas aren’t available, frozen peas work well – just thaw them before blending.
- Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen peas instead of fresh peas in the pesto?
Yes, frozen peas work well in the pesto and can be blended directly without thawing.
What type of pasta can I use if I can’t find Casarecce?
You can substitute Casarecce with other pasta shapes like fusilli or penne, as they hold the pesto sauce well.
Is it necessary to use a food processor for the pesto?
While a food processor makes the pesto smooth, you can also finely chop the spinach and peas for a chunkier texture if you don’t have one.
