Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh basil or mint leaves, or a combination
- 1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/4 cup)
- Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 small garlic clove
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Dried short pasta (such as orecchiette), for serving (cheese tortellini would also be great)
Instructions
- Microwave the peas until thawed, then transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the beans, herbs, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and a few grinds pepper. Process until mostly smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in the oil until smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. (If making this for adults, season with salt to taste).
- Spoon the pesto into ice-cube trays or freezer trays — I use this one, which has 2-tablespoon portions. Freeze until solid.
- To serve: Cook desired amount of pasta in a pot of lightly salted boiling water. Drain, reserving a splash of the pasta water in the pot. Return the pasta to the pot and add a cube (or multiple, depending on how much pasta you're making) of frozen pesto. Stir until it melts and coats the noodles. (Cover the pan to speed this up). Adults: Season the pesto pasta with salt and serve topped with grated Parm, lemon zest, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Save the leftover white beans for these recipes.
This pesto is intentionally on thicker side to make it more versatile. In addition to pasta, you can spread it onto strips of toast, soft pita, or inside a quesadilla with mozzarella. You can also use it as a dip for veggies, stir it into scrambled eggs, or dollop onto fritters (like the ones below!)