Name: Pasta with Peas and Pesto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped; ⅓ cup (1 ounce) finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish; ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 lemons, 1 juiced and 1 thinly sliced into rounds; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional; Salt and pepper, to taste; 10 to 16 ounces (2 to 3 cups) frozen peas, completely thawed*; 16 ounces short-cut pasta**; ⅓ cup to ½ cup pesto, homemade or jarred; Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Pasta with Peas and Pesto

This easy pasta recipe features peas and pesto. It's made with basic ingredients (frozen peas and store-bought pesto) and tastes fantastic! Keep this recipe in your back pocket for busy weeknights. Recipes serves 6.

25 min total 15 min prep 10 min cook 6 505 cal

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, cheese, oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes (if using), a couple pinches of salt, and plenty of black pepper.
2 Add the thawed peas and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Use the back of a fork to roughly mash just half of the peas, and leave the other half whole.
3 Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and toss the pasta with the smashed peas and a few large spoonfuls of pesto. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
4 Top with the basil, lemon slices, and a light grating of cheese before serving.