Orecchiette Pasta with Pesto, Asparagus, and Peas

Orecchiette Pasta makes the best quick and easy dinner that the whole family loves.

Orecchiette pesto pasta is the easiest and yummiest weeknight dinner you’ll ever make. It has healthy veggies, filling pasta, and a flavorful pesto sauce that comes together in less than 30 minutes!

Orecchiette (pronounced as ow-ray-kee-eh-tay) pasta came to us from the Puglia region of Southern Italy. In Italian, the word means “little ears.” And if you look at the concave shape, that’s what you’ll see – small ears ready to hold that yummy sauce for you!

I love the versatility of this pasta. It goes with hearty and rich sauces and pairs just as perfectly with light and fresh ones.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Ingredients: The orecchiette pasta recipe uses just four ingredients that are very easily available in grocery stores. You can totally whip up this dish for a delicious dinner on a weeknight.

Quick and Hassle-Free: It’s an easy recipe that makes enough for four in less than thirty minutes! You won’t even dirty a lot of dishes in the process, making cleaning a lot less dreadful.

Healthy and Yummy: Your whole family will love this pasta dish. We aren’t afraid of carbs over here–even more refined carbs like this pasta can be a part of a balanced diet. This pasta recipe is the best way to get everyone to eat their veggies. When you can make veggies more palatable for picky taste buds it’s a big win!

Perfectly Customizable: There’s no wrong way to make pasta dishes. Use your favorite pasta shapes, add whatever veggies you (and the kids) like, throw in some meat, or swap pesto with a simple tomato sauce – it’ll always work. Make it your own without fearing about messing up.

Recipe Ingredients–What You Need

As I mentioned above, the best part of this recipe is the short ingredient list! Whether you use this homemade basil pesto recipe or use a store bought variety, it’s a very simple recipe that’s perfect for summer nights when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or any time of year.

Orecchiette Pasta: I love the little cups this cute pasta shape forms – perfect for holding all the sauce. If you want to try another shape, go for it.

Asparagus Spears: Remove the woody ends and chop the remaining into smaller pieces. Asparagus is a great vegetable to add to your summer dishes. It’s rich in vitamin K, folic acid, and antioxidants.

Frozen Peas: Fresh peas are fantastic, but frozen will do the trick here. Sweet peas add a pop of color and sweetness to this dish as well as added protein.

Classic Basil Pesto: Use your favorite brand of pesto or whip up a batch at home with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. If you like traditional pesto, use this basil pesto recipe, or add nutrition with this spinach pesto recipe.

You’ll find other details in the recipe card at the bottom. Click on save, so you never lose this easiest and yummiest orecchiette pasta recipe.

How to Make Orecchiette Pasta with Pesto, Asparagus, and Peas

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Orecchiette pasta and cook 9-11 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/4 cup of the salted pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, bring a few inches of water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the asparagus and peas to a steamer basket and place in the pan. Cover and allow the vegetables to steam for 10 minutes.
3.  Add the pesto, salted cooking water, and vegetables to the pot with the drained pasta.
4. Stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!

 Tips and Tricks

• Always cook your pasta to al dente over medium-high heat. Don’t let it cook for more than 11 minutes if you want to avoid a mushy mess. Follow the instructions on the package.
• Adjust the flavor as per your taste buds. Add garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, or a bit of lemon juice to amp it up.
• If you have any leftover uncooked pasta, keep it in an airtight container in your pantry (or in any cool and dry spot).

Variations

Let’s have some fun with the recipe. Although the classic I’ve shared will always win your heart, there’s no harm in tweaking it up to make a new version every time, right?

Here are a few delicious and exciting variations:

Adding Meat: Italian chicken sausage is a perfect match for this recipe. It’ll add an extra protein punch to the dish while still keeping it light and healthy.

Switching Up Veggies: You can swap asparagus for any other green vegetables like broccoli rabe, peppery arugula, or spinach. Sun-dried tomatoes will make a great addition, too. Keep experimenting until you find your favorite combo! If you want to keep it vegetable-free, you can always serve some Brussels sprouts on the side.

Use Chicken Broth: Need more flavor? Replace salted pasta water with chicken broth. You’ll love the richness it adds to the dish.

Creamy Pesto Pasta: If you’re a fan of creamy pasta sauces, mix in some heavy cream or whole milk mixed with a few tablespoons of butter for richness. Make sure you add a pinch of salt to adjust the seasonings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make Orecchiette Pasta at Home?

Absolutely! If you have the time to make homemade pasta, I say go for it! Plus, you’ll only need a handful of ingredients for your homemade orecchiette, like semolina flour and water. Make pasta dough by kneading the two for about 8-10 minutes. Once done, take a piece of dough, roll it into a thin long rope on a clean surface, and cut it into small pieces. Now, use a wooden spoon or your thumb to shape the dough. Yep, you don’t need any special equipment for it. Who’s going to try it?!

If you try this Orecchiette Pasta recipe or any of my healthy recipes, please give it a star rating below. It’s so helpful for other readers to see which recipes have been tried and tested by you! Share on Instagram, and I’ll feature you as well. Happy cooking!

If you’re looking for more healthier pasta recipe, scroll below the recipe card where I’ve linked some of my favorites!

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More Healthy Pasta Recipes

Spinach Artichoke Pasta with Chicken–pictured above, this brings all the flavors of your favorite healthy spinach artichoke dip into a delicious pasta dish.

Arugula Pesto Pasta — Arugula replaces basil for a peppery pesto sauce that you’ll love!

One Pot Penne and Broccoli — Who doesn’t love a one-pot dinner? This one is healthy and delicious!

Penne with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Tomatoes — This vegan pasta dish is ready in about 20 minutes.

Lighter Alfredo Penne with Chicken — This will become a fast favorite. It has all the flavor of traditional Alfredo but is much lighter.

Chicken Fajita Pasta –A fun fusion dish that everyone loves!

Please let me know if you try any of these healthy pasta dinner recipes. I’d love to hear what you think!