Green Pea Pasta (15-Minute)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Mar 13, 2023 (last updated May 14, 2026) 
Made with sweet peas (frozen or fresh is fine!), fresh basil, Parmesan, and a touch of cream cheese; this green pea pasta blends up into a vibrant, pesto-like sauce in just 15-minutes. A fast, family-friendly weeknight dinner that turns frozen peas into something genuinely craveable!
5 star review
“I needed meatless and effortless and this was a perfect fit. My son dubbed it “great” and hopes I made it again soon.”
– Lauren
My Favorite Way to Make Green Pea Pasta Sauce
Allow me to introduce you to this easy green pea pasta, which is essentially a green pea pesto: a vibrant blended sauce made in a food processor with sweet peas, fresh basil, lemon, and a just a touch of cream cheese for richness. The whole thing tosses with hot pasta and a splash of starchy cooking water for a 15-minute weeknight dinner that turns a bag of frozen peas into something genuinely worth making on repeat!
After testing the recipe with several different creamy ingredients, I landed on cream cheese, though ricotta and whipped cottage cheese both work in a pinch. The herbs are flexible, too! Basil is my favorite for its bright pesto-like edge, but flat-leaf parsley works too, depending on what’s in the fridge. My two non-negotiables? Be sure to defrost the peas before blending so the sauce comes out smooth (not gritty), and reserve a full cup of pasta water before draining, since the starchy water is what turns the sauce glossy and helps it cling to the pasta in the BEST possible way.
Serve this green pea pasta with any shape you like (spaghetti, penne, fusilli, farfalle all work), and for a complete meal, top with my Italian grilled chicken, or easy 3-ingredient pesto chicken. Or, just eat it as is with extra parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. So good! Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of pasta water or olive oil to loosen the sauce, since cream cheese sauces tighten as they cool.
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Green Pea Pesto Pasta
Testing Tips for Sweet Pea Pasta
- To make this gluten free, swap in your favorite gluten-free pasta of the same shape, and for a dairy-free or vegan version, use vegan cream cheese (Kite Hill works well) and dairy-free Parmesan.
- One of my readers, Lauren, mentioned she replaces some of the cream cheese with plain Greek yogurt depending on what she has on hand, and the swap works beautifully. The yogurt adds a slight tang and lightens the sauce a bit, which is great if you want the cream cheese richness dialed down, so feel free to use 1/4 cup yogurt in place of an equal amount of cream cheese.
- The blended pea sauce can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the fridge in a sealed container. On serving day, give it a quick stir and toss it with hot pasta and pasta water, exactly as the recipe directs. This is one of my favorite weeknight shortcuts when I know I will be tight on time at dinner, and the sauce holds its color and flavor beautifully overnight!
Green Pea Pasta (15-Minute)
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen-defrosted green peas
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 pound dry spaghetti, or any pasta shape of choice such as penne or farfalle
Equipment
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a strong boil.
- Add the pasta, stirring to avoid sticking together. Boil on high according to package directions.
- Before draining, carefully remove one cup of pasta water. Set aside.
- Drain the pasta and add back to the pot off the heat.
Prepare the Green Pea Pasta Sauce
- While the pasta is cooking, add the peas, basil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper to a large food processor or high speed blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Add the cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Pulse until well combined.
- Pour the green pea pasta sauce over the cooked spaghetti, tossing to combine. Add a splash of pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary. Discard any remaining pasta water.
- Serve sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Great recipe, the whole family loved it.
Wonderful to hear this one was a hit — thanks so much for leaving a review!
I’m so glad I saw this recipe pop up in an email. I needed meatless and effortless and this was a perfect fit. My son dubbed it “great” and hopes I made it again soon. I like the flexibility to replace some cream cheese with yogurt; it fits whatever I have on hand.
Lauren, yay, I’m so happy it was a hit with the whole family. I love the idea of adding yogurt, too, I’ll have to try that next time I make this one. Thanks so much for sharing your tips and leaving a review!