SPINACH PESTO PASTA
This simple spinach pesto pasta is full of fresh summery flavours. Eating your greens has never been so easy (or so tasty).
Cutting up sausages is an easy, mess-free way to make meatballs. Don’t worry if they burst out of their skins a little during cooking! If you can’t find asparagus, try beans or broccoli instead.
Enjoy x
SPINACH PESTO PASTA
This simple spinach pesto pasta is full of fresh summery flavours. Eating your greens has never been so easy (or so tasty).
Ingredients
PESTO SAUCE
- 40 g baby spinach
- 1/2 cup basil leaves (13 g)
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (40 g)
- 1/4 cup pinenuts (35 g)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp water
PASTA & MEATBALLS
- 500 g pork sausages (6)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 300 g fresh fettuccine
- 80 g baby spinach
TO SERVE
- 250 g asparagus
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan (20 g)
- handful of basil leaves
Instructions
MAKE PESTO
Place spinach, basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and water in a food processor and pulse to form an almost smooth mixture. You could also do this in a bowl with an immersion blender or in a smoothie maker. Set aside.
PREPARE PASTA & MEATBALLS
Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, chop each sausage into 5 pieces to form meatballs. You can roll them gently to form more of a circular shape if you like. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Cook meatballs for 5-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
While meatballs are cooking, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook fettuccine according to instructions on the packet, until al dente (approximately 3 minutes). Drain any excess fat from the frying pan. Stir spinach in with sausages and cook for 1-2 minutes, until wilted.
SERVE
Trim the ends off the asparagus and microwave for 2 minutes, or until tender. Drain pasta and add to the frying pan together with the pesto sauce. Mix well to combine with the sausage and spinach mixture. Serve fettuccine and meatballs topped with extra parmesan cheese and basil leaves, with asparagus on the side.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: A clean, crisp Sauvignon Blanc makes an excellent accompaniment to this meal.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION: Make sure the sausages are gluten free and swap out the fettuccine for gluten free pasta (adjust the cooking time accordingly).
INGREDIENT SWAP: Try green beans (fresh or frozen) when asparagus isn’t in season.
TIME SAVING TIP: You can use a pre-made pesto if you prefer (it won’t be as delicious though!).
BUDGET TIP: Use dried fettuccine instead of fresh. You will need to factor in a longer cooking time.
STORING AND REHEATING: Package individual servings into airtight containers. Store in the fridge and reheat in the microwave as required.
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