Pasta with baby spinach and pepper pesto
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 697
- Carbohydrates g 60.8
- of which sugars g 10.2
- Protein g 19.1
- Fats g 41.9
- of which saturated fat g 8.22
- Fiber g 11.4
- Cholesterol mg 17
- Sodium mg 641
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 10 min
- Cook time: 50 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
Pasta with baby spinach pesto is such a bright and fresh dish that really shows off what Italian summers are all about. Seriously good. Instead of the usual basil, this version goes with spinacino—that soft, springtime baby spinach you see in Italy when the weather warms up. And look, you get a light and tender homemade pesto, using extra virgin olive oil, plenty of Parmigiano, a handful of pine nuts, and a squeeze of lemon. Honestly, it’s one of those pasta with spinach pesto recipes that just pops with color. So, so smooth with every bite.
Slices of yellow bell pepper bring that little bit of sweet crunch, making each forkful a mix of mellow greens and sunny yellow. A little bit of ricotta salata on top gives you that salty bite and keeps everything tasting super fresh—and a little creamy. That’s what makes this dish different from the basic basil pesto pastas, for sure.
In Italian kitchens, folks are all about keeping things simple but letting the ingredients do the talking. Really. This baby spinach pesto pasta follows that rule, tossing together fresh stuff you might find at a local market in late spring or early summer. You’ll see dishes like this all over the place, especially where they love playing with different pestos—sometimes swapping in arugula or even carrot tops. But here, it’s really all about that soft, green spinacino.
And here's the thing: the sweet yellow peppers go in for extra color and flavor. When you toss them with the pasta and that pasta with peppers and pesto, it feels like a celebration of what’s in season.
It's kind of like those classic Italian spinach and ricotta crepes, but way quicker and lighter. Definitely a healthy pasta recipe that still feels like real comfort food. A bowl of this is tangy, colorful, and a little nutty—every bite making the most of those Italian summer vibes. Pretty much a simple way to make something special, showing off how easy it is to have a fresh, homey pasta night without a lot of fuss or fancy ingredients. Which is great.
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- INGREDIENTS
- Whole wheat Spaghetti pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
- Spinach 2 ½ cups (70 g)
- Yellow peppers 3 cups (450 g)
- Pecorino cheese 1.5 oz (40 g)
- Pine nuts 5 tbsp (40 g)
- Salted ricotta cheese to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil 8.9 tbsp (120 g)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Oregano to taste - fresh
How to prepare Pasta with baby spinach and pepper pesto
To prepare the pasta with baby spinach and pepper pesto, first take care of the peppers: wash and dry them, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 1 and bake them at 450°F for 40 minutes (this way you can peel them more easily). Meanwhile, place a pot full of salted water on the heat and bring it to a boil, it will be used for cooking the pasta. Now focus on the pesto: in the bowl of a mixer, place the baby spinach leaves, add the pecorino 2, the pine nuts 3
salt 4 and pepper to taste, and pour the extra virgin olive oil 5. Blend everything to obtain a homogeneous sauce 6 that you will set aside.
Once the peppers are ready, remove them from the oven 7, transfer them while still hot to a baking dish, and cover with plastic wrap 8. Let cool at room temperature. As soon as the peppers are warm, remove the plastic wrap 9.
and remove the outer skin of the peppers 10. At this point, you can boil the spaghetti for about 8 minutes or according to the time indicated on the package 11. While the pasta is cooking, cut the peeled peppers into strips 12.
Pour the baby spinach pesto into a pan with the heat off 13, once the spaghetti is al dente, drain them directly into the pan with the pesto (set aside a little pasta cooking water) 14. Stir and add a little cooking water if necessary to make the pasta creamy. Also add the peppers 15 always off the heat.
Finally, season with grated salted ricotta flakes 16 and fresh oregano leaves 17. Mix and serve the pasta with baby spinach and pepper pesto immediately 18!