Before I start, a big yay! for pasta and if you’re a pasta lover I like you already. 😀 As evident as it may get, I love pasta a lot. And the thing I like even more is experimenting with new and different pasta recipes. Before I go any further I’d like to point out that as the temperature soars, the best kind of pasta to have is pesto as it can be consumed hot, cold or at normal temperature. Having shared two awesome pesto (basil & spinach) recipes already, I thought today I’d share another one. Subsequently, this my super delicious and nutritious Mint and Peas Pesto Pasta recipe which is out there in the world now. 🙂

Furthermore, this recipe is very basic, simple, affordable and is a great way to make your kids have their greens. Importantly, I’d like to point out that I’ve left no stones unturned in keeping this Mint and Peas Pesto pasta as healthy and nutritious as possible without compromising on the taste.

To point out, these are some ways in which I was able to make this recipe healthier

This recipe whole wheat pasta as opposed to pasta made out of refined flour. You can also use whole grain pasta if that is available where you live.
Instead of using cheese or cream, this recipe uses cashews, pistachios and sesame seeds to impart that smoothness that a good pesto pasta requires.
Key ingredients like mint and peas are powerful sources of different vitamins and minerals. Also, other ingredients garlic, lemon, olive oil, black pepper powder, herbs just add to the nutrient quotient if this pasta.
This Mint and Peas Pesto Pasta recipe is completely dairy-free or vegan.

If you like this Mint and Peas Pesto Pasta recipe, you might also like other pasta recipes on my food blog like Mushroom Agli Olio, Penne Arrabiata, Cheesy Tomato, Pepper Penne.

Serves 2 people

Cooking time 30 minutes

Mint and Peas Pesto Pasta Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup for Whole Wheat Fusilli Pasta
1 cup fresh mint or pudina leaves, washed thoroughly and stems plucked off
⅓ cup boiled green peas or matar
¼ cup of cashews (kaju) and pistachios (pista)
2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp white sesame or til seeds
1 tbsp lemon juice
5-6 garlic cloves
1 tbsp Italian dry mix herbs
½ tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
Mint leaves and boiled peas for garnishing

HOW TO MAKE MINT AND PEAS PESTO PASTA

First, boil the fusilli pasta in the water on low heat until it’s completely cooked.
Once the pasta is cooked or boiled, keep it aside.*
To make the pasta sauce, put freshly washed mint leaves and boiled green peas (after it’s come to normal room temperature) in a mixer grinder and grind once to make a paste.
Next, add all the other ingredients like cashews, pistachios, sesame seeds garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil, dry Italian herbs, salt, red chilli flakes, black pepper powder and blend to make a smooth pesto paste.
Then, heat a pan on low heat, add the pesto sauce and cooked pasta and mix them together and cook for 2-3 minutes or until they are thoroughly mixed and sufficiently warm. You can also dice a tomato and add at this point.
Serve hot, garnish with boiled peas, mint leaves and red chilli flakes.

RECIPE NOTES

One way to ensure that the pasta doesn’t stick while or after boiling is by running it under cold water after it is just boiled so that it stops cooking further. Then, drizzle some oil and coat it in with the boiled pasta nicely.