Pea Pesto Pasta
on Apr 18, 2022, Updated Mar 13, 2026
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I use frozen peas to make the no-cook sauce for this easy pea pesto pasta. It also has baby arugula, fresh lemon juice, garlic, scallions and Parmesan. I like tossing it with fusilli or penne because they really hold on to the pesto, and it also works with spaghetti and fettuccine. Ready in 20 minutes or less, this is a quick vegetarian dinner recipe.
Also, try this crispy gnocchi with smashed peas and arugula.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Frozen peas are better than fresh. Green peas are “flash frozen” after they are harvested and frozen at their peak level of ripeness. They’re not only a win on flavor, but they’re also a budget friendly vegetable. This is a spring recipe that you can enjoy year round. Save farmers market fresh peas for delicate salads.
There are so many ways to do pesto than just the traditional way. No offense to classic basil pesto, but at its essence it’s herbs, parmesan, nuts and olive oil. Here my greens are peas, scallions and baby arugula. Keep in mind that this is a nut-free pesto.
You can make the pesto in advance, and it’s freezer-friendly. Even though it doesn’t take much time to whip up a batch of pesto, it can save you when you don’t think you have anything for dinner, assuming you have dried pasta in your pantry.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This is what you need:
- Peas: The easiest way to thaw frozen peas is to put them in a colander and rinse them with water. This should only take a few minutes.
- Arugula: You can use peppery baby arugula or spinach or a combination of both.
- Garlic: Keeping with the classic, I include a couple garlic cloves.
- Scallions: I think of them as a cross between onions and herbs. To make it easier for the food processor to break them down in the pesto, I quickly slice them.
- Parmesan: You can swap it out and use Pecorino cheese instead.
- Olive oil: My recommendation is to use extra-virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Lemon juice adds lovely bright citrus, which to me says spring and keeps things fresh.
- Red pepper flakes, kosher salad and black pepper: These seasonings round out the pesto, layering in a touch of heat.
- Pasta: You can use any shape, but my preferences are penne with its ridges and fusilli or rotini with their corkscrews because they grab onto the pesto.
How To Make Pea Pesto Pasta
1. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve a half-cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta into a large bowl.
2 Make the pesto. Place the peas, arugula, garlic, scallions, lemon juice, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Chop the ingredients. Then with the motor running, drizzle the olive oil through the feeder tube, pureeing until fully combined. (You make the pesto while the pasta cooks.)
3. Stir in the pesto. Drizzle in a little pasta water as needed to thin it out. Fold in the remaining arugula and Parmesan. Spoon the pasta into bowls or on plates to serve topped with additional cheese as desired.
Serving
This pea pesto pasta is wonderful for a spring to early summer summer lunch or dinner. Serve it with a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette or a classic house salad. You can also pair it with a side like parmesan roasted asparagus or roasted red cabbage. You can serve it with roasted chicken or grilled shrimp stirred right into the pasta.
Other Ways To Eat Pea Pesto
You don’t just have to think of pesto as a sauce for pasta. Spread it on crostini or as the base for avocado tomato toast instead of mashed avocado and top it with roasted tomatoes. You can also stir it into sturdy cooked grains like barley or farro.
More Spring Recipes
Udon Noodle Stir-Fry with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Peas
Roasted Asparagus Soup
Chickpea Spinach Pasta
Carrot Salad with Lemon Tahini Vinaigrette
Strawberry Cucumber Pasta Salad
Pistachio Goat Cheese Strawberry Salad
Sesame Tofu Asparagus
Sauteed Lemon Asparagus Pasta
This pasta is part of my guide to easy pasta recipes for every season featuring veggie-packed ideas for all year long.
Pea Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups baby arugula
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan and more for serving
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 8 ounces fusilli, rotini or penne
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Instructions
- Put the peas, 1 cup arugula, garlic, scallions, lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Finely chop everything. Then with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil through the feeder tube to puree the pesto until it is fully combined.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Reverse a half-cup of pasta water before draining. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.
- Stir in the pesto add a small amount of the reserved pasta water as needed to thin the pesto and coat the noodles (Start with 1 tablespoon. You may not need any of it.)
- Stir in the remaining arugula and Parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Eager to try this! Am thinking that using a bit of canned adobo chipotle pepper (maybe just the sauce) in place of pepper flakes would also be good.
Love how you eat. Thank you for sharing!