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Recipe for Pasta Pesto with Garbanzo Beans

Spaghetti pasta recipe with garbanzo beans and spinach in pesto sauce developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

pasta pesto with beans

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page. Share your results with us on Twitter @CDENutrition External link opens in new window or tab..

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields four–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans, or 50–2 cup or 12 ounce servings of spaghetti pasta with garbanzo beans in pesto sauce.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 6 ½ gallons water
  • 13 pounds and 2 ounces or 2 number 10 cans low sodium garbanzo beans, canned (U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA food item)
  • 3–30 ounce pesto basil sauce containers
  • 2½ pounds fresh basil
  • 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • 6 pounds and 8 ounces dry, whole grain-rich spaghetti pasta
  • 5 pounds ready to use fresh spinach leaves
  • 1 pound parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ cup olive oil

Directions

To Prepare Pasta Pesto with Beans
  1. Place water in large pot, tilt skillet, or steam-jacketed kettle. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Rinse and drain garbanzo beans. Divide in half and set half aside for later use.
  3. Combine pesto sauce, fresh basil, half of drained garbanzo beans, pepper, and salt into a food processor, in batches if necessary.
  4. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for 7-8 minutes until al dente.
  5. Reserve 2 quarts of pasta water.
  6. Toss together pesto, pasta, spinach, other half of whole garbanzo beans and half of the reserved pasta water in four–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pans. Add other half of reserved pasta water for as needed until pesto and pasta mixture comes together.
  7. Portion 2 cups or two number 4 scoops pesto pasta and beans into an individual serving container. Top with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese.
To Prepare for Service
  1. Serve 2 cups or two number 4 scoops of pasta pesto with beans and 1 tablespoon cheese immediately for each serving.
  2. To hold for same day hot service, drizzle pasta with oil and add parmesan cheese, divided equally among holding pans or containers. Toss to mix. Critical Control Points (CCP): Hold pasta pesto with beans for same day service at 135°F or higher for service.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 620
    Carbohydrates, in grams: 78
    Protein, in grams: 22.50
    Saturated fat, in grams: 5.50
    Trans fat, in grams: 0
    Total fat, in grams: 26
    Sodium, in milligrams: 1,257

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields eight–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans, or 100–2 cup or 12 ounce servings of spaghetti pasta with garbanzo beans in pesto sauce.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 13 gallons water
  • 26 pounds and 4 ounces or 4 number 10 cans low sodium garbanzo beans, canned (U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA food item)
  • 6–30 ounce pesto basil sauce containers
  • 5 pounds fresh basil
  • ⅜ cup ground black pepper
  • ½ cup kosher salt
  • 13 pounds dry, whole grain-rich spaghetti pasta
  • 10 pounds ready to use fresh spinach leaves
  • 2 pounds parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup olive oil

Directions

To Prepare Pasta Pesto with Beans
  1. Place water in large pot, tilt skillet, or steam-jacketed kettle. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Rinse and drain garbanzo beans. Divide in half and set half aside for later use.
  3. Combine pesto sauce, fresh basil, half of drained garbanzo beans, pepper, and salt into a food processor, in batches if necessary.
  4. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for 7-8 minutes until al dente.
  5. Reserve 4 quarts pasta water.
  6. Toss together pesto, pasta, spinach, other half of whole garbanzo beans and half of the reserved pasta water in eight–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch pans. Add other half of reserved pasta water for as needed until pesto and pasta mixture comes together.
  7. Portion 2 cups or two number 4 scoops pesto pasta and beans into an individual serving container. Top with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese.
To Prepare for Service
  1. Serve 2 cups or two number 4 scoops pasta pesto with beans and 1 tablespoon cheese immediately for each serving.
  2. To hold for same day hot service, drizzle pasta with oil and add parmesan cheese, divided equally among holding pans or containers. Toss to mix. Critical Control Points (CCP): Hold pasta pesto with beans for same day service at 135°F or higher for service.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 620
    Carbohydrates, in grams: 78
    Protein, in grams: 22.50
    Saturated fat, in grams: 5.50
    Trans fat, in grams: 0
    Total fat, in grams: 26
    Sodium, in milligrams: 1,257

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Hot plate recipes
  • Meatless or plant-based recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield four or yield eight–12 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans, or 50 or 100–2 cup or 12 ounce servings of spaghetti pasta with garbanzo beans in pesto sauce.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • 2 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
  • ¼ cup vegetables (¼ cup dark green)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Low sodium canned garbanzo beans

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • Mediterranean

Preparation Time

  • Preparation to serve time: 1 hour 30 minutes for 50 servings or 3 hours for 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Hold pasta pesto with beans for same day service at 135°F or higher for service.

Kid Rating

Five-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Irvine Unified School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Monday, May 15, 2023
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