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Super Easy Pasta Pesto

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white wooden table with two bowls of pasta pesto using fusilli pasta, homemade pesto, spinach, black olives and baby plum tomatoes - two vintage silver forks by the bowls. Text overlay saying "super easy pasta pesto"

Super easy pasta pesto is perfect for busy weeknights. It’s quick, packed with tasty veggies and best of all pesto is always a huge hit with the kids so it’s a win-win for me. 

I like to make my own pesto which really only takes a few minutes and tastes so good –  but if you’ve not time just use jarred pesto. 

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Super Easy Pasta Pesto

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Super Easy Pasta Pesto

Super easy weeknight pasta

Ingredients

    for the pesto
  • 120ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 50g pine nuts
  • half clove garlic
  • 2 large handfuls of basil leaves
  • 2 handfuls of finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • sea salt and black pepper
    • for the pasta
  • 300g dried fusilli
  • 300g baby plum tomatoes - quartered
  • 3 large handfuls baby spinach - roughly chopped
  • 1 handful black olives - roughly chopped

Instructions

    to make the pesto
  1. Add the pine nuts, garlic and olive oil to a food processor and blitz to a puree.
  2. Add the basil and blitz again.
  3. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
    4. for the pasta
  4. Cook the fusilli in boiling salted water with just a splash of olive oil to stop the pasta from sticking. It should take around 10 minutes - once cooked drain well.
  5. Whilst the pasta cooks chop up the tomatoes, spinach and olives.
  6. Stir the pesto through the pasta then add the tomatoes, spinach and olives and stir through gently.
  7. Divide between four bowls and serve.
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Make pasta pesto your way
  • Use shop bought pesto for speed – try different flavours.
  • Add in some diced feta cheese.
  • Try different veggies – courgette, mushrooms and chargrilled red peppers all work well.
How to serve pasta pesto
  • Great for a quick midweek dinner. 
  • Delicious taken for packed lunch
  • Makes a great pasta salad for parties and get togethers

Two images of the same one from above and one side on showing white wooden table with two bowls of pasta pesto using fusilli pasta, homemade pesto, spinach, black olives and baby plum tomatoes - two vintage silver forks by the bowls. Text overlay saying "quick dinner easy pasta pesto"

PS… we think you might also just LOVE our Creamy Spinach Linguine 

white plate filled with creamy spinach linguine. Text overlay saying "the best creamy spinach linguine"

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