This Orzo with Mint Pesto and Peas is a great weeknight side dish that the whole family will love! Serve warm or chilled with amazing results!

Who is ready for spring? The weather here in Kentucky has been back and forth, which is typical Spring for this area. Either way, I’m still celebrating spring with this quick Orzo with Mint Pesto and Peas!

Today, I decided to make a light and fresh pasta dish that you could serve as a side or a main dish AND you can eat it warm or cold. I love mint with peas so I settled for a mint pesto with orzo and a smattering of frozen peas.

Once pea season is officially here, I’m definitely swapping frozen peas for fresh spring peas, but these work just fine for the rest of the year. This would be a great pasta salad to bring for any gathering as well!

I seriously can’t wait to make this for every cookout over the next few months!

Have you tried any of these other delicious side dishes lately?

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Yield: 4 Servings

Orzo with Mint Pesto and Peas

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• Orzo with Mint Pesto and Peas
• Recipe Type: Side
• Author: My Modern Cookery
• Prep time: 5 mins
• Cook time: 10 mins
• Total time: 15 mins
• Serves: 4 servings
• Ingredients
• 8 oz orzo pasta
• Sea Salt
• 1 cup frozen peas

For the Mint Pesto

• 2 cups mint leaves
• 3 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• zest of one lemon
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt generously with sea salt. Drop pasta and cook according to the package directions. When the pasta is almost done, add peas to the boiling water and blanch for the last couple of minutes with the pasta. Drain everything and set it aside.
   
2. For the Mint Pesto
   
3. Combine the first four ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to finely chop. stream in the olive oil while the machine is running. Just enough to form a thick paste. Taste and season with salt and pepper as you see fit.
   
4. Toss the mint pesto with the pasta and peas until everything is well coated. Taste and add additional seasoning if necessary.
   
5. You can either serve warm or chilled and as a main dish or a side.

Notes

The mint pesto is great on just about everything, so don't limit it to this dish.
You could serve this as a main dish or a side alongside chicken, fish, or a lamb chop.
You can serve warm or chilled.

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