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    Home ยป Pasta recipes

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    Pea and mint pesto pasta

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    This pea and mint pesto pasta is delicately minty, with pine nuts and almonds bringing texture, parmesan bringing salt and savoury, and fresh garlic and lemon giving a satisfying kick.

    A wonderfully tasty pea and mint pesto pasta topped with fresh mint

    Here's how to make it.

    Ingredients

    • 350 g (12.3 oz) dried rigatoni
    • 45 g (1.6 oz) pine nuts
    • 45 g (1.6 oz) blanched almonds
    • 2 large cloves garlic
    • 50 g (1.8 oz) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese
    • 1 handful mint leaves
    • 150 ml (5.1 floz) olive oil
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 pinch salt and black pepper

    Equipment

    Instructions

    Put the pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling, salted water. It'll take about 10 minutes to cook, which gives you time to prepare the pesto.

    Put the pine nuts, almonds, garlic cloves, parmesan, three quarters of the mint leaves and olive oil into the bowl of your food processor.

    Blitzing ingredients for the pesto in a food processor

    Blitz until coarse.

    Blitzing ingredients for the pesto in a food processor

    Add the lemon juice and a splash (up to 50ml/1.76floz) of hot water borrowed from the pasta pan) and blitz again.

    Blitzing ingredients for the pesto in a food processor

    Taste and add more mint leaves as required.

    Blitzing ingredients for the pesto in a food processor

    Blitz again and finally season to taste.

    Blitzing ingredients for the pesto in a food processor

    Drain the rigatoni and serve into a large bowl. Top with the pesto.

    Topping the rigatoni with freshly made pesto

    And the peas.

    Adding freshly cooked peas to the pasta dish

    Mix and enjoy!

    Mix together your pea and mint pesto pasta, serve and enjoy!

    It's super yummy, I promise! Are you tempted to try this recipe?

    Growing our own food has been such a rewarding experience.  It's provided fun family time, taught us some new skills, and given us super-fresh, wonderfully tasty produce.  And seeing all that lovely food growing just outside the back door has also been a real source of recipe inspiration to me.  I think I've caught the grow-you-own bug!

    Print this recipe

    Here's a printable version of this tasty pea and mint pesto pasta recipe - just hit the PRINT button on the recipe card below.

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    4.7 from 18 votes

    Pea and Mint Pesto Rigatoni Recipe

    This pea and mint pesto pasta is delicately minty, with pine nuts and almonds bringing texture, parmesan bringing salt and savoury, and fresh garlic and lemon giving a satisfying kick.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Course: Pasta meals
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 4 bowls
    Author: Emily Leary

    Ingredients

    • 350 g (12.3 oz) dried rigatoni
    • 45 g (1.6 oz) pine nuts
    • 45 g (1.6 oz) blanched almonds
    • 2 large cloves garlic
    • 50 g (1.8 oz) Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese
    • 1 handful mint leaves
    • 150 ml (5.1 floz) olive oil
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 pinch salt and black pepper

    Instructions

    • Put the pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling, salted water. It'll take about 10 minutes to cook, which gives you time to prepare the pesto.
    • Put the pine nuts, almonds, garlic cloves, parmesan, three quarters of the mint leaves and olive oil into the bowl of your food processor.
    • Blitz until coarse.
    • Add the lemon juice and a splash (up to 50ml/1.69floz) of hot water borrowed from the pasta pan) and blitz again.
    • Taste and add more mint leaves as required.
    • Blitz again and finally season to taste.
    • Drain the rigatoni and serve into a large bowl. Top with the pesto.
    • And the peas.
    • Mix and enjoy!
    • It's super yummy, I promise!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 851kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 2mg
    * Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram or tag @EmilyLearyCooks on Twitter. I can't wait to see your posts!

    This recipe is fantastic for serving on St Patrick's day. If you plan to serve this dish on St Patrick's day consider pairing it with one of my other Paddy's inspired dishes.

    Pin this pea and mint pesto rigatoni

    More great pesto dishes to try

    For more ideas and inspiration for your next pasta dish, visit my pasta meals recipe index! Here are some great recipes using pesto!

    Linguine Alla Genovese Recipe
    This from-scratch linguine alla genovese is exceptionally tasty as the pesto is freshly blitzed, the waxy potatoes are deliciously warming, the beans are fresh and firm, and the pasta is perfectly coated in a light, creamy, pesto rich sauce.
    Get the recipe

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    Comments

      4.73 from 18 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. tracy sinclair says

      October 31, 2016 at 7:26 pm

      I would love to grow all different kinds of herbs, so I can use them more in my cooking x

      Reply
    2. sharon martin says

      October 31, 2016 at 3:30 pm

      i''d like to grow raspberries as they are my favourite fruit

      Reply
    3. Adrian Bold says

      October 30, 2016 at 9:06 pm

      Iโ€™d most like to grow carrots and peas.

      Reply
    4. Jodie W says

      October 30, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      I rented a raised bed in my village allotment this year. My favourite thing to grow was courgettes as they are so easy and produce lots. However the tastiest thing ive grown have been my sweetcorn

      Reply
    5. darren matthews says

      October 30, 2016 at 8:51 pm

      I would love to grow my own herbs and vegetables.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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