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A pot of spaghetti with green pesto sauce, garnished with green peas and fresh basil leaves, with a fork, lemon wedges, and a bowl of peas nearby.

Green Pea Pasta (15-Minute)

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Green pea pasta made with a creamy blended sauce of sweet peas, basil, lemon, cream cheese, and parmesan. A 15-minute vegetarian weeknight dinner!
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
Diet Vegetarian
Keyword comfort food, easy, green pea pasta, healthy, pasta, pasta sauce, quick, vegetarian pasta
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 490

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

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 (of 6) | Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 659mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1161IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 2mg
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