Fridge Friend Recipes
Cheesy Pesto Pasta Bake with Peas recipe
A bubbly pasta bake with pesto, peas and plenty of cheese for a satisfying golden top. Simple ingredients, big flavour and great for batch cooking.
35 min · Easy · Italian Jump to method
Ingredients
- 250g Pasta
- 150g Jarred peas
- 3 tbsp Pesto
- 400g Pasta sauce
- 75ml Cream
- 120g Cheese
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black Pepper
| Nutrition | Per servingEstimated |
|---|---|
| Calories | 698 kcal |
| Protein | 24.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 76.2 g |
| Fat | 30.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 15.4 g |
| Fibre | 4.8 g |
| Sugar | 7.9 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Why this works
A rich, energy-dense pasta bake with moderate protein and calcium, but high in saturated fat and sodium.
Calcium from cheese and cream. The cheese and cream provide a useful amount of calcium for bone health, though they also raise saturated fat.
Peas add fibre and folate. Peas contribute some fibre, folate and vitamin C, which help support gut health and normal cell function.
Sodium may be high. Jarred pasta sauce, pesto and added salt can push sodium up, so this dish may be less suitable for those monitoring blood pressure.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (Fan 180°C, 392°F, Gas Mark 6).
Make sure the oven is fully up to temperature before the dish goes in, so the topping starts colouring straight away rather than steaming.
- Cook the pasta until just underdone, then drain.
Taste a piece a minute or two before the end: it should still have a slight bite in the centre, because it will soften further in the oven.
- Warm the pasta sauce with the cream and pesto in a saucepan until smooth.
Keep the heat at medium and stir from the base of the pan so the cream emulsifies into the sauce without catching or splitting.
- Stir in the peas and cooked pasta, then tip into a baking dish.
Mix while the sauce is still hot so the pasta is coated evenly, and stop once the dish looks glossy rather than soupy.
- Scatter the cheese over the top and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and browned.
Set the dish on the middle shelf so the cheese melts through before the top darkens; if it browns too fast, loosely cover with foil.
- Leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.
Let it sit until the bubbling calms a little, which helps the sauce thicken so the portions hold together when served.
Other Pesto Recipes
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