Pesto-crusted lamb with green quinoa
Serves: 2
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Stuart West
Pesto-crusted lamb with green quinoa
Although quinoa effectively acts like a grain, it’s actually a seed from the same plant group as beets, chard and spinach, and is a good option if you can’t eat gluten
Serves: 2
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
597Kcal
Fat
27gr
Saturates
10gr
Carbs
32gr
Sugars
8gr
Fibre
13gr
Protein
50gr
Salt
1.4gr
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Ingredients
- 75g red, white and black quinoa (or regular), rinsed
- ½ vegetable stock cube*
- 2 medium courgettes
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 100g drained roasted peppers from a jar, sliced
- handful of basil leaves (optional)
- 200g podded or frozen broad beans
- 1 x 300g pack lamb leg steaks, trimmed
- 2 tbsp light pesto
Step by step
- Add the rinsed quinoa to a saucepan of boiling water, crumble in the stock cube and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender.
- Meanwhile, preheat a griddle pan on a high heat. Slice the courgettes on the diagonal, about 7-8mm thick, and toss with the oil and seasoning. Cook on the griddle pan for 2-3 minutes each side until tender and striped, then remove to a bowl, add the sliced roasted peppers and basil leaves if using, and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, place the broad beans in a heatproof bowl of boiling water for 3 minutes to loosen the tough skins. Drain, and pop the bright green inner beans out of the skins. Add these to the quinoa for the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.
- Season the lamb steaks and spread each with 1⁄2 tablespoon of pesto. Griddle for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Let the lamb rest for a few minutes before serving.
-
Drain the quinoa and broad beans and stir in 1 tablespoon of pesto then divide between two plates. Add the courgettes and peppers then slice the lamb and serve on top. Garnish with extra basil leaves if you like.
*Check your stock cube is gluten-free, if required.
