Pasta salad with pea pesto
A fresh kale and pea pesto pasta made with nuts, cheese and garlic, tossed through pasta and vegetables and perfect for make-ahead meals or packed lunches.
Updated : 22 January, 2026
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
100 grams
Kale
100 grams
Green peas
50 grams
Nuts
40 grams
Cheddar
1 clove
Garlic
50 milliliters
Olive oil
300 grams
Pasta
to taste
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add half of the kale and half of the peas and boil for 1 minute.
Step 2
Using a sieve or slotted spoon, lift the vegetables out and transfer them to a food processor, keeping the cooking water in the pan.
Step 3
Add the nuts, cheese, garlic and oil to the food processor. Season generously with salt and pepper, then pulse until you have a coarse pesto. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 4
Bring the reserved water back to the boil. Add the fusilli and cook for 1 minute less than the packet instructions (usually 10-12 minutes). Add the remaining kale and peas to the pan for the final 1 minute of cooking.
Step 5
Drain thoroughly, then stir the pesto through the pasta and vegetables while everything is still warm.
Step 6
Leave to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container, cover and store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Author note
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