Spaghetti with Pea Pesto

Name: Spaghetti with pea pesto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 tbs sunflower seeds; 1 tbs pumpkin seeds; 1 clove garlic; 2 tbs olive oil - good quality; 1 can peas - drained and rinsed (I used Batchelors Marrowfat "Bigga"); 25 g basil; Juice and zest one lemon; Salt & Pepper to season; 150 g Spaghetti cooked as per the packet instructions (I used a wholegrain spelt); 20 g spft goa'ts cheese - optional

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Published on December 5, 2015 by Helen 36 Comments
Last Updated on October 4, 2018

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Pasta and pesto has to be one of the quickest and easiest dishes to make for a speedy lunch or supper. It is delicious, but I do find that I can quickly become hungry after eating it, as it really does not contain that much protein.

In a twist on the classic dish of spaghetti and pesto, I’ve made a thick pea pesto, and served it with a wholewheat spelt pasta, adding protein, some of your 5 a day and lowering the glycemic load of the dish, hopefully keeping you fuller for longer. My pesto also contains seeds, rather than nuts, and if you leave off the optional goat’s cheese topping then the dish is also vegan.

I have used a can of Batchelors marrowfat “Bigga” peas as the base of my pesto – a frugal store cupboard ingredient which effortlessly blends up to make a chunky pesto, which counts towards your 5 a day. You could also add a dollop or two of fat free Greek yogurt to this recipe, for a creamier pasta sauce, or even serve with crudities as a pea-licious dip to share with friends and family!

5 from 7 votes

Spaghetti with pea pesto

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

25 mins

This nut free twist on traditional pesto is made with a base of canned peas and seeds.

Course: Pea Pesto

Cuisine: Pasta

Keyword: pesto, spaghetti, Spaghetti with pea pesto

Servings: 2

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Ingredients

For the Pesto

1 tbs sunflower seeds
1 tbs pumpkin seeds
1 clove garlic
2 tbs olive oil - good quality
1 can peas - drained and rinsed I used Batchelors Marrowfat "Bigga"
25 g basil
Juice and zest one lemon
Salt & Pepper to season

To Serve

150 g Spaghetti cooked as per the packet instructions I used a wholegrain spelt
20 g spft goa'ts cheese - optional

Instructions

Place the seeds into a food processor, blender or mini chopper and whizz until roughly ground. Add the garlic and the oil and whizz again.
Add the peas (reserve a spoonful for garnish), basil and lemon juice and zest and whizz until you have a chunky paste, thin with water if needed and season to taste.
Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions, drain (reserve some of the cooking water), add the pesto to the pan with a little pasta water to thin it, stir and allow to heat, add the freshly cooked pasta and reserved peas and mix well.
Serve immediately topped with little pieces of goat's cheese and some more basil leaves.