Pasta with pesto, potatoes, and green beans is a simple dish from the Ligurian coast of Italy. Resourceful Italian cooks often stretched their pantry by pairing vegetables with pasta, creating seasonal meals that were economical but so delicious. Here, humble ingredients— potatoes, basil and green beans—are turned into a hearty but fresh pasta. It’s my go-to for a vegetarian dinner, perfect for busy weeknights and even quicker if you’ve prepared the pesto in advance!
Ingredients 10
3 waxy potatoes, about 300g, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
200 g green beans, trimmed, cut into thirds
250 g linguini
45 g parmesan, about 1/2 cup, finely grated
For The Pesto
50 g pine nuts, about 1/3 cup, toasted
1 bunch basil, leaves picked
35 g parmesan, about 1/3 cup, finely grated
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped into thirds
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp black pepper, cracked
80 ml olive oil
To Serve
parmesan, grated, extra
basil, extra
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Method 9
Start by making your pesto. Toast the in a small pan over low heat for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Be careful not to burn them, don't walk away from the pan!
Pick the , reserve a few for garnishing, and put the rest in a food processor. Grate the on the fine side of a box grater and add to the food processor. Roughly chop the into thirds and add to the food processor, along with the , and . Blitz on high for 1 minute until a rough paste forms.
With the motor still running, slowly pour in the until well combined. Turn off the food processor, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then transfer to a bowl or jar and set aside.
Bring one large and one medium pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, wash the if needed, then peel and cut into 2-3cm cubes. Trim the tops off the , then cut in halves or thirds, depending on the length. Grate the on the fine side of a box grater.
To the medium pot of boiling water, add the , reduce to a simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the potato is just tender or slightly undercooked. About 2 minutes before the potatoes have finished cooking, add in the . When the green beans are bright but still a bit crunchy, drain in a colander. Then gently transfer to a bowl.
Meanwhile, add the to the large pot of boiling water, reduce to a simmer and cook to packet instructions. When the linguini is al dente, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain into the colander.
Put the drained back in the large pot and add the pesto, grated , and about half of the pasta water. Using pasta tongs or a wooden spoon, continuously stir until the pasta water combines with the pesto and parmesan and creates a silky sauce. Add more of the pasta water if needed to loosen the mix.
Add the and to the pasta pot and gently mix to coat with the pesto and silky sauce.
Transfer to plates and serve topped with a little more grated parmesan and basil leaves.
Anna Guerrero's tips
Mantecare is an Italian cooking technique that involves vigorously stirring pasta with pasta water, cheese and its sauce to create a creamy, emulsified texture. This technique is used in the recipe to combine the pasta with the pesto and parmesan, creating a silky sauce.
Helpful tips
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Why do I need to use a waxy potato?
Can I use a different type of pasta for this recipe?
Can I use pre-made pesto?
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Notes
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