Pesto Pasta With White Beans and Halloumi

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Published September 14, 2021

  • Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,533)
Comments
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This vegetarian weeknight dinner comes together in half an hour and is made super special with the addition of halloumi. It looks like a fluffy cloud when grated, and it gives the pasta just the right amount of salty tang. Be sure to use a very fine grater, like a Microplane, when you prepare the halloumi, as it will only add to the fluffy effect (which is what you’re after). This is a full meal in its own right, but you can also serve it alongside a big green salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE PASTA

  • ⅓ cup/75 milliliters olive oil

  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

  • 1 medium green serrano chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise

  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

  • 2 (15.5-ounce/400-gram) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 

  • 3 cups (about 9 ounces/250 grams) short, twirled pasta, preferably gemelli or trofie pasta

  • 3 cups/700 milliliters chicken or vegetable stock 

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • ¼ cup/60 milliliters lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

  • 1 block halloumi (around 7 ounces/200 grams), very finely grated

FOR THE ARUGULA (ROCKET) PESTO

  • Heaping ⅓ cup/50 grams pine nuts, well toasted

  • 2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped

  • 3 lightly packed cups (about 2 ounces/60 grams) arugula (rocket), roughly chopped

  • ½ cup/20 grams roughly chopped parsley (leaves and tender stems only)

  • ⅓ cup/90 milliliters olive oil, plus more as needed

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

109 grams carbs; 12 milligrams cholesterol; 1014 calories; 31 grams monosaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 52 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 1312 milligrams sodium; 33 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the pasta: Add the oil to a large, lidded sauté pan, and then place it over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and chile, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is nicely golden. Stir in the thyme, beans, pasta, stock, 2 teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, with the lid off, for about 5 to 10 minutes. This will help it absorb more of the liquid.

  2. Step 2

    As the pasta cooks, make the pesto: To a food processor, add the nuts, garlic, arugula (rocket), parsley, half the oil, ½ teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Pulse a few times, scraping down the sides and pulsing again until you have a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the remaining olive oil, adding a touch extra if needed to loosen the pesto.

  3. Step 3

    When ready to serve, stir the lemon juice and half the pesto into the pasta (discard the chile, if you wish) and transfer to a large serving bowl or platter with a lip. Sprinkle over about half the halloumi, and serve with the extra halloumi and pesto to eat alongside.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,533 user ratings
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Comments

RG

I cannot eat walnuts, and pine nuts are expensive. I have made pesto with sunflower seeds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds, but the current favorite is hemp seeds. They are soft and oily, like pine nuts.

David

This made 160 grams of pesto.

Robin

can anyone tell me how much pesto this makes? I have my own homemade pesto, and would prefer to use that rather than make some new, but I really can't figure out how to convert those measurements to finished pesto.

Erin.

I can't believe I let this recipe languish in my recipe box for years without making it--it's so delicious! Sort of understated, a mix of milder flavors, but really interesting and delicious. This is exactly the sort of recipe that made me a fan of Ottolenghi & it's really not that hard to make.

Andrew

Want to enhance the lemon flavor? You might as well zest the lemon and add that in too.

Lacy B

Is this really spicy?

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