St. Patrick's Day Pesto Pasta (Printable Version)
Vibrant green pasta with fresh basil pesto, seasonal vegetables, and creamy coating. Vegetarian and ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - Salt for boiling water
→ Pesto
03 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
04 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
05 - 2 garlic cloves
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Vegetables
10 - 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
11 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
12 - 1 small zucchini, diced
13 - 1 small bunch scallions, sliced
→ Garnish
14 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Fresh basil leaves
16 - Lemon zest
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
03 - Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté zucchini for 2-3 minutes until tender. Add peas and spinach, cooking 2 minutes more until spinach wilts and peas are bright green.
04 - Add drained pasta and pesto to the skillet with vegetables. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Stir in sliced scallions.
05 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Top with additional Parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and lemon zest.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of fresh basil, spinach and peas creates a pasta that's naturally festive without any artificial coloring, perfect for when you want something that feels celebratory but actually nourishes you.
- Its remarkably flexible, allowing you to swap ingredients based on whats in your fridge while still keeping that gorgeous green theme intact.
02 -
- Never rinse your pasta after draining unless its specifically for a cold pasta salad, as the starch on the surface helps the sauce cling properly.
- The reserved pasta water is absolutely crucial, not optional, as its starchy quality creates a silky sauce that actually sticks to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of your plate.
03 -
- Blanch your basil leaves in boiling water for 5-10 seconds then immediately plunge into ice water before making the pesto, it preserves that vibrant green color even after days in the refrigerator.
- Toast your pine nuts or walnuts in a dry skillet just until fragrant before adding to the pesto, a step that takes only minutes but dramatically enhances their nutty depth.