Pesto Pasta and Peas
Quick, easy, and totally delicious! Make your own pesto or use store-bought: either way, this can be ready in less than 20 minutes and makes a lovely light meal.
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 3-4 cups fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Everything Else
- 1 pound pasta uncooked, any shape
- 1 and 1/2 cups frozen peas no need to defrost
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Start water: Set a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
- If making pesto from scratch: Add walnuts and garlic to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse for 20-30 seconds to finely chop. Add basil, Parmesan, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. While the machine is running, pour in olive oil and process until thoroughly pureed, about 60 seconds. Sample, add more salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
- Cook the pasta and peas: When the water is bubbling rapidly, add a generous pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions just to al dente. When 2 minutes remain in the cooking time, add peas to the boiling water directly with the pasta. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta water in a liquid measuring cup, then drain pasta and peas together in a large colander or strainer.
- Finish: Transfer the drained pasta and peas to a large bowl. Stir in about half of the pesto and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Add more pesto to taste, and stir in pasta water a spoonful at a time if desired to loosen the sauce. Garnish with extra basil leaves, serve, and enjoy.
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Notes
- Use Store-Bought Pesto: Use a good quality store-bought pesto to make this even faster and easier. I try to buy the most expensive pesto I can, which is usually one that I find in the refrigerated deli section of the store, rather than jarred on the shelf with pastas and other sauces. Pesto tastes a lot better when fresh. For 1 pound of dried pasta I find 6-7 ounces of pesto works well, but this will depend a lot on your family's taste.
- Use Another Homemade Pesto: Use your own favorite recipe or try my basil pesto with lemon zest, zucchini basil pesto, or sun-dried tomato pesto for a twist.
- Substitute the Walnuts: I like to use half walnuts and half pine nuts, although the price of pine nuts can be prohibitive sometimes. You can also swap in other nuts; feel free to experiment.
- Ideas For Extra Pesto: Store extra pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Spread it on sandwiches, mix it into soups, add to meatballs, or spread on roasted salmon for any easy burst of flavor.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 458 kcal, Carbohydrates: 50 g, Protein: 14 g, Fat: 23 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 11 mg, Sodium: 515 mg, Potassium: 285 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 793 IU, Vitamin C: 13 mg, Calcium: 157 mg, Iron: 2 mg