Spring Pea Mint Pesto Pasta (Printable Version)

Bright pasta dish featuring fresh peas and mint pesto, creating a light and flavorful Italian-inspired main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried spaghetti or linguine

→ Pesto

02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed if frozen
03 - 1 packed cup fresh mint leaves
04 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
05 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
07 - 1 small garlic clove
08 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ To Finish

12 - 1/2 cup fresh peas
13 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
14 - Zest of 1 lemon
15 - Freshly cracked black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine the peas, mint, basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
03 - With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Process until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. If the pesto is too thick, blend in a little reserved pasta water.
04 - Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the pesto and toss to coat, using reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Fold in the extra fresh peas, lemon zest, and half of the remaining Parmesan.
06 - Divide among plates. Top with additional Parmesan and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of sweet peas and bright mint creates this incredible fresh flavor that feels like eating spring itself
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a fancy Italian restaurant
  • The pesto keeps beautifully in the fridge for days, making it perfect for quick weeknight dinners
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water even if you think you won't need it, it's the secret to getting that perfectly silky, restaurant-style sauce consistency
  • The pesto can be made up to three days ahead, but wait to add the lemon juice until right before you're ready to use it
  • If your pesto seems too thick after blending, those reserved peas work wonders for thinning it out without losing flavor
03 -
  • If your pesto tastes slightly bitter, try blanching the mint and basil for 10 seconds in boiling water before blending
  • Warming your pasta bowl slightly before serving helps keep the dish at the perfect temperature longer

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