This is a great super quick midweek meal. It's better made with homemade pesto, but store bought is fine too. I store homemade pesto in the freezer by pouring it into ice cube trays. That way I have serving size portions of pesto on hand when I need it. Sometimes I stir through frozen spinach to add more nutrition into this.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Dinner, Pasta
Servings: 2
Calories: 484cal
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients
2/3cuprisoni
1tbspolive oil
2 1/2tbspbasil pesto, preferably homemade (see notes for recipe)
1small onion(brown, yellow or white), diced
1garlic clove, crushed
3cupszucchini, diced
1cupfrozen peas, preferably defrosted
1/4tspsalt
Black pepper
To Serve
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
Place about 8 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to boil.
Add risoni and cook for 4 minutes, then add peas and cook for a further 1 minute. Note: The risoni will be slightly underdone at this point. It will finish cooking in the remaining steps.
Scoop out 1/2 cup of the water from the saucepan, then drain the risoni and set aside until ready to add to the pan.
Heat olive oil in a fry pan over medium high heat.
Add garlic and onion and sauté for 1 minute until starting to soften.
Add zucchini and sauté for a further 2 - 3 minutes until both the zucchini and onion are softened and the onion is starting to turn a light golden brown.
Add pesto, risoni, pasta water reserved in step 3, salt and pepper. Bring the water to a simmer and stir for 1 minute until the water is absorbed.
Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
1. Homemade Basil Pesto - place the following into a small food processor and whizz until combined. You could also use a mortar and pestle. 2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves 1 garlic clove 1/4 cup pine nuts (preferably toasted) (or cashews, Brazil nuts, walnuts or almonds), 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or Pecorino) 1/4 tsp salt and pepper (plus more to taste) 1/2 tbsp - 1 tbsp lemon juice (to taste)2. If you want to add frozen spinach to add more nutrition into it, simply thaw then squeeze out excess liquid and add it when you add the orzo / risoni. Then stir through.3. Nutrition per serving.