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My Pasta with Peas Is So Good!
I love using fresh ingredients in many of my recipes, but that’s not always possible or even necessary! This pasta with peas recipe is a great example of when frozen is just as good (if not better) than fresh. I always have a bag of frozen peas in my freezer, and it’s easy to combine them with fresh onion, garlic, and basil to make a pea pesto sauce.
My kids love this pasta with peas, or pasta e piselli, because it’s so colorful, and I love how quick and easy it is from start to finish. The dish is ready in 25 minutes and, if you want to make cleanup even simpler, you can always reuse the pot you boil the pasta in to make the sauce for a one-pot meal.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Pasta with Peas Ingredients
- Pasta: Any short pasta like fusilli, penne or shells is great in this recipe. You can use gluten-free pasta if you have intolerances or whole wheat pasta, if you prefer.
- Oil: I like the flavor of olive oil, but any neutral-tasting oil will work.
- Onion and garlic: Since the recipe is so simple, I highly recommend using fresh onion (either yellow or white works!) and garlic.
- Peas: I use frozen peas because they’re so convenient and just as delicious. You can certainly substitute with fresh peas if you have them on hand.
- Basil: Fresh basil is best! Look for a bunch with bright green leaves and no dark spots.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best taste and texture, since pre-grated can be dry and grainy. Use a rennet-free parmesan if you are vegetarian.
- Salt and pepper: I keep the seasonings simple and just add some salt and pepper.
Popular Additions
- Make it a complete meal. Add a protein such as grilled chicken or shredded chicken, lemon garlic shrimp or air fry salmon.
- Add more veggies. Additional vegetables like sliced cherry tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, and zucchini would all be delicious!
- Brighten it up. Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into the pea pasta sauce or just squeeze a bit of lemon on top before serving.
- Give it a spicy kick. Start with ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and add more depending on how much heat you can handle.
How to Make Pasta with Peas
Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta al dente. Pasta continues to cook once you have drained it, and again when you add it to the pea sauce. Don’t overcook it or it can be too soft and mushy in the final dish. Check out my top tips for cooking pasta.
- Thaw the peas before using them. If you add them in frozen, the sauce can become too watery. Quickly thaw them by placing them in a sieve under cold running water. They’ll take minutes to defrost.
- Be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water. The starch will help to stick the sauce to the pasta and also help to thicken it, it’s much better than using tap water. It also helps to add more flavor.
- Use a fine mesh sieve to create an extra smooth sauce. Once blended, pass the sauce through the sieve for a creamier texture.
Serving Ideas
- Caprese Salad
- Classic Caesar Salad
- Garlic Bread
- Cast Iron Skillet Steak
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Grilled Lemon Chicken
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes:
- Pistachio Pasta
- Cauliflower Alfredo
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta
- Lemon Pasta
- Easy Baked Spaghetti
- One Pan Pasta
- Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
- Cheese Stuffed Shells
- Hummus Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
If you try this Pasta with Peas recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
This Pasta with Peas recipe was originally published on April 15, 2021. The post has been updated to include helpful cooking tips and frequently asked questions.
Pasta with Peas
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fusilli pasta
- 1 ½ cup pasta water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 10 ounces frozen peas thawed
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves packed, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 ½ cup of the cooking pasta liquid.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
- Transfer the thawed peas to the skillet, saving a couple tablespoons for serving. Add the basil and 1 cup pasta water. Bring sauce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it’s smooth and consistent. Use a strainer to strain the sauce or an extra creamy consistency.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the pea sauce, salt and pepper and toss until well coated. Add as much of the extra ½ cup reserved pasta water as desired to thin out the sauce.
- Add the reserved whole peas, Parmesan cheese and stir until everything is well combined. Serve with fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I made the sauce a day ahead because I didn’t want my husband to know that it was made with peas. I did not cook the pasta ahead of time because I use gluten free pasta which is not good reheated. Since I did not have the pasta water, I used vegetable broth with corn starch for thickening. When I reheated the sauce the next day, I added a splash of white wine and it came out great!! I garnished with Parmesan cheese, but no peas!
Yum, your tweaks sound so good! I think vegetable broth with cornstarch is a really smart substitute for pasta water. Hope you and your husband enjoyed!!
Very good – recommend adding some chili flakes and lemon juice at the end and more parmesan. But overall a good quick recipe. Thanks
Yum, those sound like great garnishes! Thanks, Phai!!
This was so fresh and delicious! It’s going to be a staple for nights when we’re tempted to get takeout! I left the cheese out of mine and it was great.
So glad you enjoyed it, TeriLyn!
I was in a rush so don’t bother pureeing the sauce. I just mashed some of the peas and added extra pasta water to thin it out. I also used whole wheat pasta, which added 5 grams of fiber as well as protein. We really enjoyed it. There was a lot of flavor and my daughter hates peas and had seconds. She didn’t taste the peas!
I’m so glad it ended up working out that way too! That’s amazing!
The recipe needs work – ingredients say 1 cup pasta water while instructions call for 1.5 cups – ended up 1/2 cup short of pasta water. Instructions say reserve some thawed peas but why don’t these get cooked before serving? I will review next time knowing these points in advance.
Thank you for the feedback! I have gone ahead and updated the recipe, so it is more consistent. The reserved peas get cooked and that is set aside to be added when serving.
Made it again and it was amazing! Thank you.
I tried this recipe and loved it. It’s easy to make and delicious !
Would lentil pasta be a healthier option? also would it be less in calories and carbs in i used lentil pasta?
You could use that for a higher protein option! The calories are for the most part very similar and same goes for the carbs.
Super delicious and easy to make! I’m all about fast weeknight dinner recipes that taste fresh and amazing 😉 I used cavatappi pasta and added red pepper flakes for some heat.
Thank you! Same here!! Love the red pepper flakes for some heat.
This pea Pasta so creative and one of the best meals I made so delicious!!!
I can say she is 10/10 on all the dishes I’ve made from her page! 10 star and I don’t eat Meat!!!
Thank you so much! That’s such a compliment!!
I didn’t have frozen peas but canned and it still turned out delicious. It wasn’t as vibrant green but it tasted great!
I’m glad you still enjoyed it!
Made this yesterday and it was delicious. Will definitely make again and would like to use some leeks along with or without the onions. Your thoughts?
So happy you liked it, Randy! You can absolutely substitute or add the leeks. Sounds so good, enjoy!!