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.
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.
Blitz until coarse.
Add the lemon juice and a splash (up to 50ml/1.76floz) 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! 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!
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Pea and Mint Pesto Rigatoni Recipe
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
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!
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sallyann johnston says
I would love to grow some different varieties of peppers
Leanne Bell says
I would love a well stocked herb garden to include mint, coriander and rosemary and would love to have a go at growing new potatoes and carrots.
Judith Allen says
Some perennial herbs, we don't have any in this garden. Rosemary, sage and lavender to start with. We had lots at our old house, and the dog used to like to rub up against them. He liked to smell nice. Well, that thought made us smile anyway.
Caroline Hunter says
I'd grow tomatoes, peppers, chillis, onions and runner beans.
Kelly Ellen Hirst says
I'd most love to grow some chillies to add some zing to my meals
Linda king says
Brilliant prize just right size for my garden
Christine Lockley says
I'd love a herb garden
Kat Glynn says
We have tried growing most vegetables in our garden, but I would really like to try growing mushrooms next :)
AMY fidler says
beetroot and garlic x
michelle o'neill says
lettuces and tomatoes