Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta

Name: Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta
Prep time: PTM
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 Adults
Ingredients: bacon - 6 slices cooked until crispy, drained and crumbled (hold if going vegan); pasta - 400 grams spaghetti (I used gluten free corn and Quinoa mix); walnuts - 1 cup (if you toast them first...so good but not required); garlic - 2 cloves; spinach - 1 and 1/2 cups (unthawed frozen spinach and all the water squeezed out); olive oil - 1/4 cup (or can use a little water to thin if trying to reduce fat); salt and pepper - to taste; parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup (leave out if going dairy free or vegan) reserve a little extra if you want to garnish with a little extra on the finished dish; tomatoes - 1 large chopped- fresh (optional- garnish); dried red pepper flakes - optional - as desired

October 16, 2015

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Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta is a 15 minute pantry special with spinach and walnut pesto tossed simply with a little gluten-free pasta, fresh garden tomatoes and topped with crumbled bacon.

Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta! Lets say that again, faster... Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta..Faster..! It's a tongue twister for sure but packed with flavors and sure to be a family favorite.

Just as fast as you can say Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta 15 times, you can have made and on your dinner table in 15 minutes. Seriously simple, quick to make, easy on the wallet and can be made with mostly all pantry ingredients, you have to love that!

We had a serious old Mothers cupboard syndrome this week in Bam's Kitchen and had to make dinner just using what I had around. We always have dried pasta in our house and I always have a little gluten-free pasta on hand for me. So Mama Mia, while the carb watcher was out-of-town we had a pasta feast!

We served this easy speedy spinach pesto pasta with a nice tossed salad and a delicious Italian Red. We only used the food processor and one pot so clean up was a snap.

You can make this dish dairy free easily but holding the parmesan cheese and adjust your seasoning and add a little dried red pepper flakes for a little punch or even a little drizzle of fresh lemon juice or a little lemon zest, instead. If you also want to make this dish vegan, then just hold the bacon crumbles. This recipe is highly adaptable and you can add any protein or veggies you want to this dish. After all, this is a pantry dish so use what you have on hand.

I used frozen spinach because fresh is no longer in season. Having frozen spinach in the freezer makes preparing speedy spinach pesto pasta one easy dish to prepare when you have unexpected guests. I always like to have a little frozen peas and spinach in my freezer as these are 2 veggies as they can be used with so many dishes. What frozen vegetables do you like to have on hand?

The only issue with this recipe is cooking the bacon first. It leaves you slightly vulnerable for 15 minutes as you are going to have watch those bacon crumbles like a hawk if your family comes into the kitchen before the dish is complete. If your family does not get to it first, then my furry friend has been known to get some real height with his little Yorkie jumps.

Wishing all of you a super week!

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Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta

By HWC Magazine 30 Minute Meals, Cardiac Friendly, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Italian Cuisine, Pasta, Rice and Casseroles, Pasta, Rice and Stuffing Italian

October 16, 2015

Eat your spinach and have muscles like Popeye with this delicious spinach and walnut pesto tossed simply with a little gluten free pasta, fresh garden tomatoes and crumbled bacon.

Cook: 15 mins
Yields: 4 Adults

0 Full-screen

Ingredients

bacon - 6 slices cooked until crispy, drained and crumbled (hold if going vegan)

pasta - 400 grams spaghetti (I used gluten free corn and Quinoa mix)

walnuts - 1 cup (if you toast them first...so good but not required)

garlic - 2 cloves

spinach - 1 and 1/2 cups (unthawed frozen spinach and all the water squeezed out)

olive oil - 1/4 cup (or can use a little water to thin if trying to reduce fat)

salt and pepper - to taste

parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup (leave out if going dairy free or vegan) reserve a little extra if you want to garnish with a little extra on the finished dish

tomatoes - 1 large chopped- fresh (optional- garnish)

dried red pepper flakes - optional - as desired

Directions

1Fry bacon until crispy, drain and and crumble. Set Aside. If going vegan you can skip this step and go straight to step 2.

2Bring pasta to boil in a large pot with lots of salted water and cook per pasta directions or until aldente.

3In the meantime, place walnuts in food processor and grind until fine. Add the garlic, spinach, olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese (if not dairy-free or vegan), salt and pepper to taste and process until smooth.

4Drain pasta (but reserve about 1 cup of pasta water). Add the spinach pesto to the pan with a little bit about 1/4 cup- 1/3 cup of pasta water to thin the pesto and make it creamy. Toss well.

5Serve onto 4 plates, top with a little fresh chopped tomatoes, crumbled bacon and a parmesan cheese if not vegan or dairy free. I like a little dried red pepper flakes on top of mine for a little kick.

6Enjoy pasta with a side salad and a nice glass of red wine.

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thecompletebook

Absolutely divine Bam!
Have a wonderful weekend.
🙂 Mandy xo
- Bams Kitchen
  
  You too Mandy. Enjoy the change of seasons in South Africa
tinynewyorkkitchen

Looks Delicious! Great Photos Too!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Thank you dear. Wishing you a super weekend
Kristy

Totally my kind of dinner Bam! I only allow myself pasta once a week because I love it too much. It’s not something I can only have one serving of, let alone a small servings. It is definitely my biggest weakness. The pesto looks so bright and brilliant. I can almost taste it. One of Mr. N’s favorite sauces too!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Kid friendly for sure! You can leave a bacon trail to the pasta.
Monica

What’s not to love about this…pasta, bacon, and quick to make! It looks pretty irresistible.
- Bams Kitchen
  
  All this pasta needs is one of your stunning desserts as a sweet ending.
John/KitchenRiffs

Love pasta! And can never get enough of it. We always have it in our pantry, too. Never made spinach pesto — need to. But first, I need to make real pesto — there’s a frost warning for tonight, and we still have loads of basil that needs harvesting! Anyway, great dish — thanks.
- Bams Kitchen
  
  I have heard that a frost warning is out! Sad to hear…but basil pesto would be lovely. I have a little indoor basil potted plant and I have over harvested her this last month and now she looks like she needs a little CPR… LOL
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen

Oh I love pasta, Bobbi. And this Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta is amazing! Love how quick, easy and flavor packed this is. Indeed this is a tongue twister. Great, share! 🙂
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Hello Anu! I am all about simple and easy lately. It is much easier to prepare this simple dish then try to says its name. Take care
allthatsjas

Mm, you had me at bacon! I love speedy recipes and how amazing is this one! Sharing, of course.
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Thank you Jas, wishing you a super weekend!
wok with ray

I just love simple and delicious meals like this pesto pasta that you have today and topped with bacon. . . is even better. Have a good weekend, Bobbi! 🙂
- Bams Kitchen
  
  I see you and my boys have the same motto… everything is better with bacon. They also think that bacon might have its own food group…Hey how else to get you kids to eat spinach.. bribe them with bacon!
[email protected]

Now that is one quick dinner! And love the pesto pics, great texture!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  The speedy 15 minute meal…I guess I need to get going on more of these kind of speedy recipes as it has been so zoo like at our house lately.
[email protected]

That spinach walnut pesto sounds amazing! I love how quickly this meal can be made!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Thanks Christine, I nice slice of your delicious pumpkin bars would be a delicious ending to this meal.
Norma Chang

Love speedy meals.
Dawn

So creative, I never thought of using spinach to make pesto, yummy!!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Spinach works really well and it is very creamy and almost buttery in texture. Love that!
nancyc

I love pesto, but have never made it with spinach–since I like spinach too, I think I’d love this dish!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  If you love spinach you are going to love this dish. A breeze to throw together. Take Care
cheri

Hi Bam, I love this pasta dish, brilliant to make a spinach pesto. Always great to have a few pantry meals up your sleeve.
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Hi there Cheri! Indeed, a quick little pasta dish whether that is gluten-free or regular is a fun change from the usual routine.
Mira

OMG, so fast and easy to make, fresh and delicious! Love this pasta! Pinning!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Thank you Mira. Wishing you a super weekend and enjoy the fall festivities.
Jasline @ Foodie Baker

Ooh never knew to make pesto with spinach instead of basil, gotta try this one day!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Yes, this is a great little recipe as we always have either fresh or frozen spinach. My poor basil plant needs to a little CPR as I think I have over harvested her a little too much over the last couple of weeks… LOL
Helen @ Scrummy Lane

This is honestly my idea of mid-week heaven on a plate, Bam! I just love your photos, too … they are really making my mouth water right now!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Thank you Helen. Mid-week craziness needs many more 15 minute meals, don’t you think.
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners

Oh man, you and I are on the same track this week, Bobbi. I could eat this every night….and every day for lunch, lol. Pasta would be my choice of food if I were on a dessert island…with some shrimp, of course, lol.
Great speedy meal and love the topping of bacon – perfection! Sharing, of course 🙂
Your photos!! Just loving them, my friend. 🙂
JayanthiSindhiya

Nice combo of ingredients and healthy too
Tandy | Lavender and Lime

these photos have me drooling Bobbi! As for the bacon vulnerability, I think the solution is to cook more than you need so you can snack 🙂
hotlyspiced

I’d love a photo of the Yorkie jumping! I do find frozen spinach terribly convenient. And I do love convenient meals like this; the spinach pesto pasta sounds perfect for a mid-week meal xx
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext

This pasta looks incredible, Bobbi! Love the flavours in this dish!
Kristi @ mysfkitchen

Speedy recipes are the best 😉 Looks great!!
Raymund

I am not a huge fan of pesto but you leveled this up by adding those crispy bacon! that made this dish shine
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Bacon, according to my boys has its own food group!!!
gourmetgetaway

You have to love a quick dish that is super tasty and can feed a crowd. This one looks like a real crowd please. I will have to pin it xx
Thanks for sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Abbe @ This is How I Cook

I always have peas in the freezer, too! And pasta is always what I relied on when I didn’t go to the grocery! This looks perfect; especially the bacon on top!
Nami | Just One Cookbook

My kids LOVE pesto! But I’ve never tried making it with spinach and walnut before. Sounds really yummy! This 15 minute pasta is a life saver… it looks wonderful and the kids will be so happy to enjoy this meal!
- Bams Kitchen
  
  Thank you Nami-san! We all need those 15 minute dinners as life is just crazy so dinner does not need to add to the chaos. This fun Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta is a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies.
mjskit

You have a carb watcher in your house too. 🙂 What a great speedy pesto and pasta dish! This has to go in my Quick & Easy list. I did have to laugh about the bacon. Even with 2 people in the house, I still have to make 1 extra piece of bacon because 1 piece ALWAYS disappears before I add the bacon to the dish. 🙂
bentodays

I love pesto and this looks good! I’ll love to have this any day!
The Gourmet Gourmand

Gah I’ve been so bad at blogging lately. It looks like I’ve missed so many good recipes of your’s! Loving this!

Speedy Spinach Pesto Pasta

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