This easy Pea and Popeye Pesto Pasta by Jamie Oliver is a quick and nutritious meal perfect for picnics or weeknight dinners. Packed with fresh peas, spinach, and creamy goat’s cheese, it’s vibrant and flavorful. With fun-shaped pasta and crunchy golden breadcrumbs, it’s flexible enough to make with pantry staples like frozen peas or different greens.
Ingredients Needed
- ½ a bunch of fresh basil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 50g (about ⅓ cup) pine nuts
- 250g (about 2 cups) fresh peas
- 100g (about 3½ oz) baby spinach
- 100g (about 3½ oz) hard goat’s cheese
- 1 lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 600g (about 1 lb 5 oz) dried pasta in fun shapes
- 120g (about 1 cup) breadcrumbs
How To Make Pea And Popeye Pesto Pasta
- Prepare the ingredients: Pick basil leaves, peel garlic, and toast pine nuts in a dry pan until golden.
- Make the pesto: Blitz peas, spinach, basil, 1 garlic clove, pine nuts, and 70g (2½ oz) of goat’s cheese in a food processor. Add lemon juice, a few splashes of oil, and water if needed until it reaches a spoonable consistency.
- Cook pasta: Boil pasta as per the package instructions until al dente. Cool it under cold running water, drain it, then mix it with the pesto.
- Make the topping: Chop the remaining garlic, heat oil in a pan, and sauté garlic and breadcrumbs for 4–5 minutes until golden and crunchy.
- Assemble and serve: Divide pesto pasta into jars or containers, top with breadcrumbs, and grate over the remaining goat’s cheese. Ready to enjoy a picnic!
Recipe Tips
- Toast pine nuts carefully: Toast the pine nuts on medium heat, stirring often to avoid burning. They should be golden, not dark brown, for the best flavor.
- Blend pesto to the right consistency: If the pesto is too thick, add a little water to make it spoonable, like thick yoghurt. This ensures the sauce coats the pasta well.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente to keep it firm and prevent it from becoming mushy when mixed with the pesto.
- Cool pasta properly: After draining, rinse the pasta under cold running water to stop the cooking process and keep the texture just right.
- Crunchy breadcrumbs: Stir the breadcrumbs frequently while frying to ensure they turn golden and crispy without burning, giving your dish the perfect texture.
How To Store Leftovers?
Let the leftover pasta cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 160g)
- Calories: 256
- Total Fat: 8.3g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2g
- Total Carbohydrate: 33g
- Sugars: 1.5g
- Protein: 10.7g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Pasta And Green Olives
- Jamie Oliver Sausage, Kale And Ricotta Pasta Bake
- Jamie Oliver Winter Pasta Salad
- Jamie Oliver Skinny Carbonara Pasta
Jamie Oliver Pea And Popeye Pesto Pasta
Description
This easy Pea and Popeye Pesto Pasta by Jamie Oliver is a quick and nutritious meal perfect for picnics or weeknight dinners. Packed with fresh peas, spinach, and creamy goat’s cheese, it’s vibrant and flavorful. With fun-shaped pasta and crunchy golden breadcrumbs, it’s flexible enough to make with pantry staples like frozen peas or different greens.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Pick basil leaves, peel garlic, and toast pine nuts in a dry pan until golden.
- Make the pesto: Blitz peas, spinach, basil, 1 garlic clove, pine nuts, and 70g (2½ oz) of goat’s cheese in a food processor. Add lemon juice, a few splashes of oil, and water if needed until it reaches a spoonable consistency.
- Cook pasta: Boil pasta as per the package instructions until al dente. Cool it under cold running water, drain it, then mix it with the pesto.
- Make the topping: Chop the remaining garlic, heat oil in a pan, and sauté garlic and breadcrumbs for 4–5 minutes until golden and crunchy.
- Assemble and serve: Divide pesto pasta into jars or containers, top with breadcrumbs, and grate over the remaining goat’s cheese. Ready to enjoy a picnic!
Notes
- Toast pine nuts carefully: Toast the pine nuts on medium heat, stirring often to avoid burning. They should be golden, not dark brown, for the best flavor.
- Blend pesto to the right consistency: If the pesto is too thick, add a little water to make it spoonable, like thick yoghurt. This ensures the sauce coats the pasta well.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente to keep it firm and prevent it from becoming mushy when mixed with the pesto.
- Cool pasta properly: After draining, rinse the pasta under cold running water to stop the cooking process and keep the texture just right.
- Crunchy breadcrumbs: Stir the breadcrumbs frequently while frying to ensure they turn golden and crispy without burning, giving your dish the perfect texture.
Jamie Oliver Pea And Popeye Pesto Pasta