When summer rolls around, my cooking starts to feel a bit lighter, a bit greener, and a whole lot quicker. Gone are the heavy stews and casseroles of colder days – instead, I find myself drawn to fresh, simple dishes that don’t require too much fuss in the kitchen. That’s where my Light Pesto Pasta comes in – it’s bright, vibrant, and just the sort of thing you’d want to eat with the windows open and the sun pouring in.
This dish is all about celebrating good ingredients without overcomplicating them. At the heart of it is fusilli pasta – one of my absolute favourites. The twists and curls of fusilli are perfect for catching sauces, especially something like pesto. They hold onto every bit of flavour, so you get a good mouthful every time. Plus, they cook quickly and look cheerful on the plate, which always helps.
Now, about that pesto. This isn’t your usual basil pesto – although I do love that too. For this version, I use fresh spinach as the base. Spinach gives the pesto a gorgeous green colour and a slightly milder, earthy flavour. It’s also a brilliant way to sneak in some extra greens, especially if you’ve got a bag of spinach wilting in the fridge. I like to blend it with a little garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, some toasted pine nuts, and olive oil to bring it all together. The lemon adds a refreshing zing that feels so right in warmer weather.
To finish, a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan goes on top. I never skip this step. The cheese adds a salty, savoury kick that balances beautifully with the lightness of the spinach and the brightness of the lemon. Sometimes I’ll add a few shavings on top just before serving, for that little extra touch of indulgence.
What I love most about this Light Pesto Pasta is how adaptable it is. You can enjoy it warm straight from the pan or cold as a pasta salad the next day. It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, prawns, or even a handful of cherry tomatoes if you want to keep it vegetarian.
It’s the kind of dish that feels just right for long evenings, light meals, and easy living – everything summer should be.
Light Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 300 g fusilli pasta
- 100 g spinach fresh
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 2 tbsp pine nuts lightly toasted
- ½ large lemon juice only
- 60 ml olive oil plus extra if needed
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 30 g parmesan grated plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli and cook according to packet instructions until al dente.300 g fusilli pasta
- Drain and set aside, reserving a small cup of the pasta water.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the spinach, garlic, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice and olive oil. Blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.100 g spinach, 1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp pine nuts, ½ large lemon, 60 ml olive oil
- If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.salt, black pepper
- Toss the drained fusilli with the spinach pesto in a large bowl or pan over low heat.
- Mix well until all the pasta is evenly coated. Add a little more pasta water if needed to help the sauce cling.
- Divide into bowls and sprinkle generously with grated parmesan.30 g parmesan
- Add a few extra shavings on top for presentation, if desired.
14 comments
Simple, quick, and very tasty. I added some grilled prawns on top and it worked perfectly. The lemon in the pesto really lifted the whole dish.
I think I’ll try it with whole wheat pasta next time for a bit more bite.
This recipe was a hit with the whole family.
Very refreshing and light. Perfect for a warm day.
Will definitely make this again, especially for summer picnics.
The dish was good, but I felt it needed just a bit more garlic for my taste. Next time, I’ll throw in an extra clove or two.
I had it cold the next day as a pasta salad and it was just as good, maybe even better! Would love to try it with some roasted cherry tomatoes.
Absolutely delicious! The spinach pesto was so fresh and vibrant – I never knew spinach could be this flavourful.
So quick to whip up after work, and really satisfying without being heavy.
I had some leftover roast chicken which I tossed in and it made a fantastic, fuss-free dinner.
Loved how creamy the pesto turned out without needing any cream.
Great vegetarian option! I used walnuts instead of pine nuts because that’s what I had, and it still worked beautifully.
Lovely, easy lunch idea.
Such a great way to use up leftover spinach! I was surprised how well the flavours came together, especially with the parmesan on top.