Pesto Pasta with Green Beans and Potatoes
This vegetarian main course is based on a classic dish from Liguria where pesto sauce is paired with pasta, potatoes, and green beans. Easy, one pot meal!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 575kcal
Ingredients
Balsamic Pesto
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup (1/2 oz) shredded parmesan
- salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta and Vegetables
- 4 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 12 oz green beans, cut into 1 - 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 10 oz fettuccine
Instructions
Balsamic Pesto
- In the bowl of a food processor, puree the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and balsamic until finely chopped. With the processor running, add the oil in a stream until it is all incorporated. Scrape the pesto out of the processor and into a bowl. Add the parmesan cheese and mix it in. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Pasta and Vegetables
- Everything cooks in the same pot of water. Don't dump out the water until the very end.
- Fill a large pot with water. Add the potatoes and a couple of tablespoons of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the potatoes have begun to boil, cook them for 12-15 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces the potatoes. Use a spider or slotted spoon (or a mesh strainer) to scoop out the potatoes into a bowl.
- Add the green beans to the pot and cook them for 5-6 minutes, or until tender. Scoop them out into the bowl.
- Add the fettuccine to the pot and cook according to the package directions. Before draining the pasta, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water into a cup. When the pasta is done, drain the pasta and add to the bowl.
Assemble the Dish
- Add the pesto and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the bowl with the past and vegetables. Toss well so that the pasta water and pesto emulsify into a creamy sauce. If needed add more pasta water a little at a time so that the sauce is creamy but not watery.
Notes
- You can cook all the ingredients together in the pot instead of doing them one at a time. I prefer to cook separately and use a skimmer to scoop out the potatoes and then the green beans when they are done.
- For a quicker dish, you can use store bought refrigerated pesto in place of the fresh pesto. Just add a tablespoon or two of balsamic to the pesto.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal