Spinach pesto pasta is a family-friendly way to eat your greens

Beyond the appealing helping of greens, this recipe has one other huge family-friendly advantage: It makes a lot, and it stores well. The finished dish - nicknamed "green pasta” among my family - lasts for several days in the refrigerator as well.

Here’s a recipe that’s fast (30 minutes!), easy, make-ahead, tasty and full of greens.

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Spinach Pesto Pasta

6 servings (makes about 8 cups)

Total time: 30 mins

This light, bright spinach pesto pasta is a great, kid-friendly way to work additional greens into your meal rotation. We like baby spinach for its mellow flavor, but feel free to play around with bolder, heartier options, such as kale or Swiss chard.

The recipe is a time-saving twofer. Use half the pesto now, and freeze the rest for a quick and easy meal later.

Storage: Refrigerate the pesto in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the assembled pasta for up to 4 days.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (about 5 1/2 ounces) pecan halves and pieces

1/2 to 1 teaspoon fine salt, to taste, plus more as needed

1 pound curly or ridged dried pasta, such as fusilli, rotini or cascatelli

1 garlic clove

Packed 3 cups (2 1/2 ounces) fresh basil leaves (from 1 4-ounce package)

1 (5-ounce) bag or clamshell baby spinach, divided

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated or shaved parmesan , for serving (optional)

STEPS

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a small sheet pan and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until fragrant and slightly darkened. (Alternatively, toast the nuts, stirring frequently, in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.) Transfer to a plate or bowl to cool slightly.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt the water to taste. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain. Return the pasta to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, combine the pecans and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Add the basil, half of the spinach and half of the oil (it’s okay to eyeball these), the lemon juice, a generous grind of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste. Process until pureed, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining spinach, turn the food processor back on and gradually stream in the remaining oil until smooth and thoroughly combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Taste, and season with more salt, lemon juice and/or pepper, as desired. You should have about 2 cups of pesto.

Transfer 1 cup of the pesto to the pot with pasta and gently toss to evenly coat, splashing in the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to loosen the sauce.

Transfer to a large serving bowl or individual plates, season with more salt, and/or garnish with the parmesan, if using, and serve.

Substitutions: Baby spinach >> kale, more basil, arugula, Swiss chard. Pecans >> walnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds.

Nutrition per serving (1 1/3 cups pasta with about 3 tablespoons pesto), based on 6 and using 1 cup pesto: 478 calories, 59g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 22g fat, 4g fiber, 11g protein, 3g saturated fat, 154mg sodium, 4g sugar

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

From recipes editor Becky Krystal.