It’s officially holiday party season!! We’re kicking off this magical month of holiday recipes with a spotlight on holiday appetizers. This GORGEOUS Pea Pesto Dip could not be any more festive, right?
I’ve been making this pea pesto (from my fav chef, Giada de Laurentiis) for years. I served it this past summer at our annual block party/Em’s 2nd birthday party, and everyone loved it. But I just recently realized how perfect it is for the holidays. Not only is it bright GREEN and RED, it’s a great healthy alternative to your typically heavy holiday appetizers (and goes perfectly with a glass of wine for us mature peas!)
It’s SO easy to make. In literally less than 10 minutes, you go from this….
To this…
And you can dip it and top it in SO many ways…
- Dippers
- Sliced baguette (toasted or not), like Giada does
- Whole wheat crackers
- Vegetables like carrots, sliced cucumber or bell peppers
- Pita bread
- Toppers
- Halved cherry tomatoes, like Giada does
- Roasted red pepper; I like to use small cookie cutters to cut out festive holiday shapes
- Slices of fresh mozzarella or parmesan cheese
Miss Em loves peas, so she likes to dip just about anything into this pea pesto (including her little fingers). I’m even thinking it would be great on pasta….hmmm….
Little Hands Can…
- Pour thawed peas into food processor
- Measure and add the garlic clove, grated cheese, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil to food processor
- Use small cookie cutters to cut out roasted bell pepper shapes
- Top toasts with bell pepper shapes, tomato halves or cheese
Look, Bella, it’s sticking!
- 1 (10 ounce) bag frozen peas, thawed
- 1 garlic clove (peel removed)
- 1 lemon (you'll need the zest and juice)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sliced baguette, crackers or vegetables for dipping
- Cherry tomatoes, roasted red pepper or fresh mozzarella for topping
- In a food processor, add the thawed peas, garlic, zest of ½ of a lemon (about 1 teaspoon), juice of half of a lemon (about 2 teaspoons), cheese, salt and pepper.
- Blend until the peas are beginning to break down and the mixture starts to come together.
- Add in the ¼ cup of olive oil and continue to process until thoroughly combined. You can make it as smooth or chunky as you like.
- If using a baguette, slice the baguette into ½ inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle the slices lightly with olive oil and toast in a 350 degree oven or in a toaster oven until slightly golden brown (5-6 minutes)
- For toppers, slice your cherry tomatoes in half. If using roasted red peppers, use small cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes, or slice the peppers into thin strips. Slice small pieces of mozzarella.
- Serve the pea pesto, dippers and toppers separately so people can build their own, or assemble your toasts prior to serving.
Recipe adapted from Giada de Laurentiis
On the Side
My little one loves her peas, so I knew she’d love the book Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace. I can’t recommend this book highly enough and it’s a perfect read alongside a snack of crackers with pea pesto!
In the book, Little Pea, the main character is somewhat of a picky eater…he hates what Mama Pea and Dada Pea serve him for dinner. But it’s not what you think. What do peas eat for dinner? Why CANDY, of course! In this fun twist on picky eating, Little Pea earns his dessert if he eats his dinner…and you’ll never guess what’s for dessert!
Here are some questions you can ask during or after reading Little Pea with your child:
- Little Pea likes to do many things. What are some things you like to do?
- What do you think of Little Pea’s dinner? Would you like to eat Little Pea’s dinner?
- Are there some things you don’t like to eat?
- Why do you think Mama Pea and Dada Pea want Little Pea to eat his dinner?
- What do you think of Little Pea’s dessert? Would you like to eat Little Pea’s dessert?
- What do you like to eat for dinner? What do you like to eat for dessert?
- Would you like to MAKE dinner with me?
If you’re looking for more activities to do with Little Pea, check out the math, art, water play, fine/gross motor and science activities at Teach Preschool!
Disclaimer: As with all of our recipes, my suggestions for how kids can help with a particular recipe are based on what has worked in our kitchen. Your child may be able to help more or less based on their age and/or ability.
Carol says
December 4, 2015 at 6:56 AMGreat recipe! I have had it at Samantha’s house several times. I love the reading activity. I need to read the book Little Pea. You always present such great literacy suggestions! Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us!
Sally says
December 4, 2015 at 2:53 PMThank you, Carol! We all share a love for Giada! Do you have any favorite children’s books? I’m starting a new series on the blog soon about sharing children’s books (non-food related) that we’re currently reading and loving.
Carol says
December 6, 2015 at 9:34 PMI am a children’s book lover and have quite an extensive collection. My top ten favorites in no particular order are:
Alice the Fairy – David Shannon
Freedom Summer – Deborah Wiles
The Day the Crayons Quit – Drew Daywalt
Olivia – Ian Falconer
Olivia Helps With Christmas – Ian Falconer
The Cat in the Hat – Dr. Seuss
Polar Express – Chris Van Allsburg
How I Became A Pirate – Melinda Long
Lost and Found – Olover Jeffers
Grace for President – Kelly DiPucchio
Hopes this list is useful!
Sally says
December 7, 2015 at 7:57 PMThank you, Carol! These are some I’ve never read, so I’ll put them on my list to check out at the library. Thanks!