This 15 minute Pesto Pasta, is tasty, comforting and super simple to make and it is a perfect week night dish.
With normality set back in with the kids back at school, after school clubs all booked up and the nights getting darker earlier, the last thing you want to do is slave as soon as you get home in the kitchen after a long day at work.
I find prepping our meals weekly massively helps, if you can get a head start on yourself, then why not. I made my scrumptious pesto sauce yesterday, Sundays are perfect for getting a jump start on things I also use my Saturdays to make a meal plan for the week ahead, so by 11am on a Sunday I’m armed with my shopping list and I know exactly what I need when whizzing around, so I am in and out and I know exactly what I am spending as it is vital in this current market with the cost of living.
For Leanora and I there is nothing better than a big bowl of pasta, especially one that is garlicky and saucy, plus enough left over to pack for lunch the next day and slightly kissed with a sprinkle of chilli to add a little heat element, well in mine anyways.
It is pretty simple to make, especially as I’ve already made my pesto ahead of time, all I now need to do is boil on some water, pick out our pasta of choice, for this one I’ve chosen normal spaghetti, but it works great with mafalda or fusilli pasta as all that sauce gets right in to those grooves.
It’s not a super creative dish, but it sure is a damn delicious one that takes no time to rustle up and it is family favourite and a great warming winter dish and sometimes the simplest dishes are always the best.
And oh so good!
Ingredients
Pesto sauce
Pasta
Parmesan
Instructions
1. Heat a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil, once bubbling cook your pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 a cup of boiling salted water and drain pasta.
2. Place drained pasta back in to the pot, and add in your pesto sauce and some of the reserved pasta water to loosen things up to your liking. Once combined, serve up and tuck in.
Extra tip
Too add a little freshness, why not squeeze a little lemon over it and bigger bonus, grate some more extra parmesan and sprinkle a little chilli for a little heat. Enjoy!
For a another version of this, why not try my Kale Pesto Pasta? Let me know what you think in the comments below or share with me over on Instagram and use #LondonMummaEats
Every week without fail I have to make a batch of this glorious green sauce, those days not wanting to be in the kitchen and make a grand dinner after a long day at work and want something fresh, tasty and super easy to make, bomb, pop this bad boy at of the fridge, boil up some pasta combine the two great gods together and a sprinkle, well who am I kidding a lovely and very generous sprinkle of parmesan and the family dish just comes together in the most perfect way.
To start making this heavenly sauce, you got to toast up a cup full pine nuts until nice and brown, then toss into my blender.
I like to add 1 cup of olive oil.
Followed by 2 cup fulls of basil.
4 cloves of garlic
Juice of half a lemon
1 cup of grated parmesan, do not buy already grated parmesan the taste is completely different.
A pinch of salt and pepper, then give it all a whizz in your blender.
If you find that it is too thick a splash of water will loosen things up for you.
There is nothing more delicious than enjoying this, with family and friends and you know what the pesto's yet to come.
Lindsey
Watch a feel good show, nothing quite lifts your spirits then watching something that will put a smile on your face and keep you giggling, I am currently loving Dollface which was introduced to me by my friend Jamie and he said this show will be right up my alley a feel good, girl boss show about a girl who gets dumped by here boyfriend, she then has an imaginary cat friend who guides her through her journey and encourages her to build back her female friendships which she left behind. You can watch Dollface on Disney +.
Currently reading The Guest List and it is incredible in so many ways and has become my weekend companion, so much so I've only a few chapters left, of this whodunit thriller. I find reading really helps my mind and especially when it is something you enjoy and I find that it is the perfect way to extend your weekend, by knowing you have completed something that you have enjoyed.
Leanora and I have been currently eating a lot of vegetarian and vegan meals and making loads of pesto and using it many different ways, with pasta, sandwiches and even in our salads, don't worry, i'll be sharing our super easy recipe soon I always find making something with Leanora fun and that is what Sundays should be fun, creating something with your loved ones or friends, will never give you those Sunday blues.
Plan something fun for the evening, such as an exercise class, a spot of yoga or pliates or even go swimming, it will take your mind off thinking about Monday and will give you something to look forward too.
Lastly, don't get too hung up about Monday, just enjoy your Sunday YOUR way!!
Don’t forget to follow me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get this weekend and for some fun inspo on extending your weekend you can check us out on TikTok
Lindsey
Mozzarella, pesto, sausage and a rich tomato sauce, I mean just saying those words, you know it’s gonna be a damn good day and a tasty dish.
Firmly in the summer months, but a lot of rain here had in London, whilst I am craving nice lighter dishes, a girl needs a little comfort with this rain and chill still lingering!
Guys, I have to say Leanora and I were both impressed with how this dish came out! As you know we’ve been eating a little less meat each week and I am glad to say that this dish may not be vegan but certainly vegetarian friendly.
I have found the tastiest plant based sausages, our current favourites are from Birds Eye, new Green Cuisine range and I used these to make the base of the dish in the form of a ragu. Simmering away for 30-35 minutes on a nice medium low heat, infused with different style tomatoes, onions, garlic and little chilli to give it a little kick, you know it’s gonna be good, plus if you make a little extra is perfect for freezing to use at a later date.
Leanora’s taste buds are becoming more vast each day, especially in the cheese department, if this girl is ever quite, guaranteed I know where I’ll find her! Tucked under her desk, iPad in one hand and Parmesan in the other, she can’t get enough of it, we probably go through one a week! Trying to go for something a little less salty I have now introduced her to one of my top 5 cheeses, mozzarella. Once sliced they fit perfectly into the pasta shells, in fairness I was a little bit worried, that after I had cooked my pasta shells al dente, the may be slippery little suckers, but it was no bother at all and easily filled with the mozzarella and pesto, yes I was a little lazy I didn’t make my own, but what can I say when you have a busy household to run, cutting a few corners to help you out and feed the masses quickly it helps! FYI it’s only Leanora and I, plus Milo (cat) to feed haha! But who said we don’t like seconds and extras for the next day for lunch or dinner, also my dad has a tendency to swing by and raid the fridge as his office is only down the road.
But in the words of Leanora, let’s make this deli-ci-o-so dish.
Ingredients
250 grams of jumbo Conchiglioni pasta
4 vegan sausages (any sausages you like)
2 shallots diced
4 minced garlic cloves
1 tin of passata
Handful of baby plum tomatoes
2 table spoons of tomato paste
1 small jar of pesto
250 grams of mozzarella sliced
6 - 8 basil leaves
Olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of chilli flakes
Directions
1. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add sausages and crumble into bite size pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausages are browned, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low and add passata, baby tomatoes, tomatoe paste, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
4. Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees
5. Cook your pasta for 13-15 minutes until al dente, drain and set aside.
6. Layer your dish, with your ragu and set to one side.
7. Fill your pasta shells with a little pesto and a slice mozzarella and lay in top of your of your ragu, once dish is filled tear up a few pieces of fresh basil and sprinkle over, along with any left over mozzarella you may have. *Fancy being a little extra naughty I recommend sprinkling over some grated parmesan
8. Place in the oven for 25-35 minutes until lightly browned on top and cheese bubblin
Enjoy!
Guys, if you love this cheesy pasta dish, let a girl know, you can tag me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma #LondonMummaEats tag to show me what you guys think or simply keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Pinterest or Bloglovin!
Lindsey
All day I dream of pasta, pasta in a silky delicious sauce and this bowl of kale pesto pasta is that dish!
Seven, that is the magic number and the number of ingredients that you need to make my easy kale pesto pasta. I simply adore this dish, it takes no time at all, best for a quick healthy hearty weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Pasta (gluten-free)
A bag of kale washed
180grans of parmesan
A handful of Pine nuts
Olive oil
Half a garlic bulb
Juice of one lemon
Instructions