Pesto Pasta with Potatoes & Green Beans (Trenette al Pesto)
A classic Ligurian pasta, this pesto pasta with potatoes and green beans is simple, comforting and full of fresh flavour. Everything is cooked together, then tossed with basil pesto to create a silky, well-balanced dish.
Servings: 2
Calories: 1313kcal
Ingredients
For the pesto Genovese
- 1 large bunch of fresh basil (about 60g/2oz with stems)
- 1 clove garlic (peeled)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 80 g Parmigiano Reggiano cubed (3oz)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Other ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes (around 300g/11oz, peeled & cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 170 g green beans (trimmed and cut into small batons) (6oz)
- 225 g dried pasta (I used fettuccine) (8oz)
Instructions
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems and discard the stems.
- To make the pesto, using an immersion blender or food processor, pulse blend together the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil until thick and smooth. Set aside.
- Heat a large pot of salted water until boiling then drop in the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, Add the green beans and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the green beans tender but still with a little bite (fish out the beans if they cook faster than the potatoes).
- In the same pot, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to the packet instructions. Turn off the heat and retain around 2 cups of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.
- Tumble the green beans and potatoes into the pot (off the heat) along with the pesto and around 1 cup of the cooking liquid followed by the pasta. Gently stir to combine everything.
- Check for seasoning, and add a little salt & pepper if you think it needs some. Finally, add more pasta water if needed to create a creamy consistency to the sauce.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Tips
- Don’t over-blend the pesto — keep it fresh and fragrant
- Salt the cooking water well for the best flavour
- Cook the potatoes and green beans until just tender, not mushy
- Reserve plenty of pasta water to loosen the sauce
- Toss everything together off the heat to keep the pesto vibrant
Serving Suggestions
- Serve immediately while warm for the best texture
- Finish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano if you like
- Add a drizzle of good olive oil before serving
- Pair with a simple green salad or bitter leaves
Nutrition
Calories: 1313kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 1249mg | Potassium: 1584mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1124IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 570mg | Iron: 7mg