• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Closet Cooking

Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Top Recipes
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • 6 Ingredient Meals
    • Slow Cooker Meals
    • One Pan Meals
    • By Course
      • Main Course
      • Side Dish
      • Dessert
      • Appetizer/Snack
      • More
    • By Diet
      • Gluten-free
      • Low-carb
      • Vegetarian
      • More
    • By Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lamb
      • Egg
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
      • More
    • By Cuisine
      • Cajun and Creole
      • Chinese
      • Greek
      • Italian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Mexican
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
      • More
    • By Type
      • Burger
      • Cake
      • Cookie
      • Dip
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
      • Salad
      • Sandwich
      • Soup
      • More
    • By Ingredient
      • Avocado
      • Bacon
      • Cauliflower
      • Mushroom
      • Pumpkin
      • Quinoa
      • Shrimp
      • Strawberry
      • More
  • Cookbooks
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
Never miss a recipe! Subscribe to the email Newsletter!

Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto

[heart_this] · May 21, 2008 · 54 Comments

Penne alla Pea Pesto

Spring has finally started to make its presence known at the farmers market. Last week the first of the asparagus showed up and this week it was the peas. Of course I picked some up. I was thinking that I wanted to do something to showcase the freshness of the peas and that a fresh pea pesto would be perfect. Mint always makes things seem more refreshing so I added some of that along with some lemon to brighten things up. Pestos often contain a nut and I though that almonds would be a nice change. For the cheese I went with a sharper pecorino to contrast the sweetness of the peas. Pestos like this are super simple to make, just blend everything in a food processor. I really like to serve pesto on pasta so that was my first stop. The pea pesto on whole wheat penne was really good! It was light, refreshing, sweet and savoury all at the same time. I still had some of the pea pesto left over and it went well on crostini for a snack the next day.

Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto

Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto

Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • 1 cup peas
  • 2 tablespoons mint
  • 2 tablespoons almonds (blanched and peeled)
  • 2 tablespoons pecorino cheese (grated, or parmigiano)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • salt and pepper to taste
directions
  1. Mix everything in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle.
  2. Serve over cooked pasta or gluten free pasta and enjoy!
Similar Recipes:
Fava Bean Pesto on Fettucini
Asparagus Pesto on Penne
Wild Leek Pesto Pasta
Edamame Dip
Pistachio Pesto
Fresh Pea Salad

Take a look at the Presto Pasta Nights roundup at Once Upon a Feast.

6 Ingredients, Appetizer, Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Low-carb, Main Course, Pasta, Pesto, Recipe, Vegetarian

eCookbook Bundle Cover

Get ALL 16 Closet Cooking eCookbooks in a bundle for 70% off! Enjoy some of the tastiest recipes from Closet Cooking along with exclusive cookbook recipes!

Get the Cookbook Bundle Now!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karma by Morgan says

    May 21, 2008 at 11:37 pm

    great photo of the food! it looks delicious

    Reply
  2. VeggieGirl says

    May 21, 2008 at 11:48 pm

    Ahh, peas!! They haven’t arrived here yet, but I can’t wait!! And what a lovely variation on pesto sauce, with the peas – yum!

    Reply
  3. Ben says

    May 22, 2008 at 12:01 am

    Oh yeah, spring is in the air and in our plates. Beautiful pictures 🙂

    Reply
  4. Manggy says

    May 22, 2008 at 1:16 am

    I don’t have a food processor– we’ll just have to see what my mortar and pestle (slash arm muscles) can manage, heh 🙂 I love all things leguminous, so this looks very good!

    p.s. nice plate too!

    Reply
  5. LyB says

    May 22, 2008 at 1:29 am

    That green is so vivid, I love it! This looks very beautiful and delicious Kevin!

    Reply
  6. Marc @ NoRecipes says

    May 22, 2008 at 5:35 am

    Nicely done! Fresh peas are a bit of a pain to shell, but the results speak for themselves. I can almost imagine the sweet minty goodness.

    Reply
  7. canarygirl says

    May 22, 2008 at 7:08 am

    Ooooh! This looks so delicious!

    Reply
  8. nicole says

    May 22, 2008 at 7:08 am

    I wish I could have a good pea pesto crostini snack.You always have something good and creative on your blog.

    Reply
  9. Meeta says

    May 22, 2008 at 9:31 am

    A unique take on the pesto. Lovely idea using peas. I love that green!

    Reply
  10. Jan says

    May 22, 2008 at 10:59 am

    Love the idea of pea pesto Kevin!

    Reply
  11. Dhanggit says

    May 22, 2008 at 11:10 am

    i love this idea, asparagus pesto on penne!! yummy!

    Reply
  12. Cara says

    May 22, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    This sounds yummy – I’ve recently discovered I like peas so I would love to try this.

    Reply
  13. diva says

    May 22, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    kevin, looks great. nice touch with the mint. i can’t wait for the farmers’ markets here too. i’ll be trying to grab as much as the wallet allows!

    Reply
  14. RecipeGirl says

    May 22, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    Do you know that I have never, ever purchased fresh peas?? Something about shellling them all frightens me. I absolutely love peas though so I should give it a go. Your creation looks like a great choice!!

    Reply
  15. romina says

    May 22, 2008 at 1:17 pm

    Anything with “pesto” catches my eye!! Delicious!

    Reply
  16. Bellini Valli says

    May 22, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    Such a springtime meal Kevin:D

    Reply
  17. Gloria says

    May 22, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    Mmmmm!!! yummy,yummy,yummy Kevein what’s nice look this!! love this xGloria

    Reply
  18. Sharon says

    May 22, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    I’ve never bought fresh peas either, but those look SO much better than any I’ve ever had. Beautiful dishes!

    Reply
  19. Pia says

    May 22, 2008 at 3:35 pm

    wow, this looks really good. i’m going to try to make it or something with peas this weekend. inspired by your photo on tastepotting…i had a yummy pea appetizer in a restaurant recently – it has mint and cheese and was sweet and savory – but i’ve never made anything with fresh raw peas…in indian food they always just turn it into a cooked vegetable. we are trying not to order delivery for one year in manhattan: http://www.redredblue.com/nodelivery/

    Reply
  20. Deborah says

    May 22, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    I love the idea of a pea pesto – it sounds so fresh and spring-like!

    Reply
  21. Lina says

    May 22, 2008 at 4:04 pm

    I love the beautiful green color! looks like a wonderful dish!

    Reply
  22. LisaRene says

    May 22, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Beautiful photos and delicious dish! Simply lovely pesto, almost too good to eat, I’d be happy to just look at it 🙂

    Reply
  23. noble pig says

    May 22, 2008 at 4:46 pm

    Kevin, the colors came out so perfect. I don’t think I’ve seen a better grren color on food. It’s just beautiful. I want to make this for a Spring dinner! Thank you.

    Reply
  24. gaga says

    May 22, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    Yum. That looks so refreshing and the color is gorgeous. Those peas are HUGE!

    Great idea!

    Reply
  25. Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says

    May 22, 2008 at 7:30 pm

    That looks so delicious, Kevin. I love the twist on regular Pesto. Sounds perfect for Spring! I love wholewheat pasta though it’s surprisingly hard to find here…

    Reply
  26. Pam says

    May 22, 2008 at 9:03 pm

    What a great spring dish! I love the idea of using the leftovers on crostini.

    Reply
  27. Erin @ The Skinny Gourmet says

    May 22, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Kevin, another great post. I have to say I have really enjoyed following your blog, since I was first introduced to you by way of your mouthwatering tom yum soup when I hosted WHB.

    For what it is worth, I’ve tapped you as an outstanding blog that I admire.

    Reply
  28. Ginny says

    May 23, 2008 at 1:09 am

    Looking great kevin! Love pesto and this is a great new idea!

    Reply
  29. Jen Yu says

    May 23, 2008 at 1:42 am

    That looks so refreshingly green and springy! Gorgeous, Kevin!

    Reply
  30. Heather says

    May 23, 2008 at 3:16 am

    Ooh, that is a wonderful idea, Kevs. Can I call you Kevs?

    Reply
  31. tigerfish says

    May 23, 2008 at 8:42 am

    Never tried a pea pesto before! Looks like anything “green” works 😛

    Reply
  32. Nina's Kitchen (Nina Timm) says

    May 23, 2008 at 9:14 am

    This looks so fresh and delicious, both on the pasta and the crostini.

    Reply
  33. Hillary says

    May 23, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    What a beautiful green color! I would love to try this.

    Reply
  34. Ruth Daniels says

    May 23, 2008 at 3:06 pm

    Great post, stunning photos and delicious recipes. What’s not to love! Thanks for sharing with Presto pasta Nights.

    Reply
  35. Lisa says

    May 23, 2008 at 4:10 pm

    Peas are one of my very favorite veggies. Spring is an exciting time for cooks!

    Reply
  36. katiez says

    May 23, 2008 at 6:20 pm

    Lemon with the mint… wonderful idea. As is the Pea Pesto…
    Wouldn’t that be lovely over asparagus…Hmmm….?

    Reply
  37. Renaedujour says

    May 23, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    I’m so taken by the pea/mint combo.Excellent work!

    Reply
  38. 'Chef' says

    May 23, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    Kevin, the pea pesto looks delicious! I love your ‘custom’ twist with the almonds and pecorino. We’ve had fresh peas here for a while now, but I noticed some nice ones at the market today. I’m putting this on the menu for next week – thanks!

    Reply
  39. Anonymous says

    May 24, 2008 at 10:23 am

    What a great combination. Love this recipe.

    Reply
  40. chriesi says

    May 24, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Wow, fantastic colour. Sounds very good.

    Reply
  41. vonsachsen says

    May 25, 2008 at 6:06 am

    Gorgeous photography, Kevin!

    Reply
  42. Neen says

    May 26, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    Looks fabulous! Mint and Peas in any combination are fantastic. I made a mint pea soup just this week, and it was absolutely lovely. 🙂

    Reply
  43. Suganya says

    May 28, 2008 at 6:41 am

    Wow! Green has never been so glamorous before. Beautiful.

    Reply
  44. Jaime says

    May 29, 2008 at 2:56 am

    what an interesting flavor combination!

    Reply
  45. TBC says

    May 29, 2008 at 10:57 pm

    I love the sound of your pea pesto!
    It looks so good on crostinis. I’m not very fond of peas, but this makes me want to try it!

    Reply
  46. Shubha Ravikoti says

    June 4, 2008 at 6:14 pm

    Woow this looks awesome Kevin… Love the peas pesto combination ans the color is sooo beautiful……

    Reply
  47. Ricki says

    June 8, 2008 at 12:43 am

    This looks perfect–and I’m thrilled to find another way to use some of my fresh mint!

    This is my first visit to your blog and I’m glad I found it–looks like you’ve got some excellent recipes (and your photos are lovely). Looking forward to exploring the archives.

    Reply
  48. TING says

    May 10, 2009 at 5:27 pm

    it looks so freshhhh! 🙂

    Reply
  49. Anonymous says

    May 17, 2009 at 8:58 pm

    It is 98 degrees today in town. I just made this pea pesto recipe using peas I picked up at Farmer’s this morning. The meal was superb! The perfect recipe for a very hot day.

    Reply
  50. Anonymous says

    May 17, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    Your blog is awesome! You are very talented!

    Reply
  51. Paula says

    June 25, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    this was delicious – we had it with salmon teriyaki

    Reply
  52. mary says

    July 8, 2009 at 1:50 am

    This dish looks like my style of eating: pasta and fresh veggies. Yum.

    Reply
  53. Claudia says

    August 22, 2010 at 9:51 am

    I was looking for a pea pesto for my fish fillet when I came across with your blog… I'm amazed! Your recipes are wonderful and the photos… Uau!
    Thank you from Portugal!

    Reply
  54. Amanda says

    September 10, 2010 at 4:16 am

    My sister pointed me towards your site and I love following it and checking out all of your great recipes! Just wanted to let you know I tried this one out and LOVED it so much I blogged about it.:) Thanks for the delicious recipe!

    -Amanda
    http://www.seegirlcook.com

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the free Closet Cooking email newsletter and get a FREE copy of the eBook:
The Best of Closet Cooking!

About Me

Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
Read More

The Best of Closet Cooking 2023 – FREE eCookbook

The Best of Closet Cooking Book Cover

eCookbook Bundle

eCookbook Bundle

Top Recipes

Chicken and Avocado Burritos
Ham and Potato Corn Chowder
Mexican Street Corn Nachos
Balsamic Garlic Grilled Mushroom Skewers
Baked Firecracker Chicken
Caprese Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Balsamic Soy Roasted Garlic Mushrooms
Cheesy Beef Enchilada Tortellini Skillet
Parmesan Roasted Carrot Fries
Asiago Roasted Onions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
About | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Copyright © 2007-2023, Closet Cooking Ltd. All Rights Reserved.