Quick Spiced Pork & Basil Pesto
with Carrot-Potato Mash & Salad
- Milk
Our garlic and herb seasoning and a dollop of boldly flavoured basil pesto is all you need to upgrade tonight's juicy pork steaks. Serve with a carrot-spiked mash and simple salad to keep the carbs in check. This recipe is under 650kcal per serving and under 30g carbohydrates per serving.
Ingredients
1
potato
1
carrot
1 clove
garlic
1
tomato
1
cucumber
1 packet
pork loin steaks
1 sachet
garlic & herb seasoning
1 bag
mixed leaves
1 packet
basil pesto
(Contains: Milk)
Not included in your delivery
olive oil
40 g
butter
(Contains: Milk)
1 drizzle
white wine vinegar
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Peel potato and carrot and cut into small chunks. Finely chop garlic. • Cook potato and carrot in the boiling water until easily pierced with a fork, 10-15 minutes. Drain veggies, then transfer to a bowl. • Return saucepan to medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Return veggies to saucepan, then add the butter and a pinch of salt. Mash until smooth and cover to keep warm.
TIP: Save time and get more fibre by leaving the potato unpeeled!
• While veggies are cooking, cut tomato into thin wedges. Roughly chop cucumber. Set aside. • In a medium bowl, combine garlic & herb seasoning, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add pork loin steaks, turning to coat.
• In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. • When oil is hot, cook pork until cooked through, 3-4 minutes each side (cook in batches if your pan is getting crowded). Transfer to a plate. Cover, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes. • Meanwhile, combine mixed leaves, tomato, cucumber and a drizzle of white wine vinegar and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season to taste.
• Slice the spiced pork. • Divide pork, carrot-potato mash and salad between plates. • Spoon basil pesto over pork to serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on July 2026- Flavour: The spiced pork was a standout, praised for being tender, juicy, and full of flavour, with the basil pesto adding a finishing touch many loved. Some found the seasoning too salty or clashing with the pesto, and a handful felt the overall dish was a little bland.
- Ease of prep: Most found this a quick and easy meal to pull together, well within the promised time.
- Suggestions: Many felt the mash needed more potato and carrot — several added an extra potato or carrot from their own pantry to make it stretch. A number of reviewers swapped the salad for steamed greens like broccolini or beans, finding warm vegetables a better match for the hot mash and pork. Some suggested using only a small drizzle of pesto rather than the full amount, and a few recommended skipping the garlic in the mash since the seasoning and pesto already carry plenty.
- Leftovers: At least one reviewer noted the meal made enough for a leftover lunch the next day, and suggested eating early in the week as the salad leaves wilt quickly.
- Portions: A large number of reviewers found the quantity of potato and carrot insufficient, particularly for two or four people, and felt the mash yield was too small for a satisfying serve.
