Pasta with green beans, potatoes and basil pesto is a traditional pesto pasta from the Liguria region of Italy. An easy, delicious and satisfying meal for the whole family. Depending on hunger, serves 2 - 4. If serving 4, then I recommend accompanying this dish with a side salad and some crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
Course
Main Course
Category
Italian
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time20minutes
Total Time35minutes
Servings4
Calories557kcal
AutorElle
Ingredients
250gfresh green beans,trimmed and halved diagonally
300gdried pasta of choice(e.g. penne)
300gnew potatoes,scrubbed clean and halved lengthwise or quartered (depending on size)
For the pesto:
30gpine nuts,lightly toasted
20ggrated parmesan cheese,plus more to serve
2clovesgarlic,minced
1 1/2bunches fresh basil(ca. 40 g)
4tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
1/4teaspoonsea salt
ground pepper,to taste
Method
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the green beans until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander in the sink and rinse the green beans with cool water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
In the same pot, cook the pasta until al dente, about 9-10 minutes (according to package instructions). Reserve 125 ml of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Meanwhile, add potatoes to a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
While everything is cooking, prepare the pesto. Using a small food processor or immersion blender, pulse together the pesto ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add the pesto, green beans and potatoes to the pot with the pasta. Add a little of the reserved cooking water and toss to combine. If desired, add a little more cooking water until the desired consistency is reached.
Serve into bowls, garnish with freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!
Notes
You can also cook the beans and potatoes together and then remove the beans to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Or completely shortcut this recipe and cook the pasta, potatoes, and green beans all in one pot. The starch from the potatoes adds more flavor and helps the pesto stick to the noodles. I prefer to cook my vegetables separately in order to have more control over the cooking times, especially since pasta cooking times can vary depending on the type.
Replace regular pasta with whole grain pasta to increase your fiber and protein intake. Or try spelt pasta which is a high-fiber, high-protein option, but make sure you buy the whole grain variety.