This quick pea and basil green pasta sauce is so easy, incredibly delicious and also super nutritious. It's a fresh and vibrant sauce that comes together in no time for a quick weeknight dinner. The base is a pea purée blended with fresh basil, mint or any other herbs you like. Add your pasta of choice for a healthy dinner that will surprise with its ease and flavor.
Hi! This recipe comes from the development of a Spring risotto I have coming soon! I made a purée of peas and herbs to add to the risotto. When I tasted it, I knew I had to make it into a separate sauce recipe. It is similar to my Delicious Spinach Pasta Sauce but a lot lighter and more vibrant. It's a creamy pasta sauce with no cream at all, in fact, it's completely vegan.
I just love a sauce that comes together in no time made with ingredients you might already have. Frozen peas are a staple in my freezer, make sure you try my Creamy Pea and Pancetta Pasta! I really hope this is a recipe the whole family will love.
For some other vegetarian options, try:
Why you'll love this recipe
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS - The green pasta sauce recipe has only a few ingredients that you might already have on hand!
FAST - This sauce really only takes about 15 minutes to make.
HEALTHY - We all know I like a luscious creamy buttery sauce but this is a creamy green sauce without the cream! A great way to get some greens in too.
VERSATILE - Use any fresh herbs you have on hand. I like to use basil, mint or Italian parsley.
Sauce Ingredients
Garlic - I gently fry some fresh garlic cloves to add to the sauce. If you can't be bothered then it's totally fine to leave it out!
Frozen peas - Such a great weapon to have in the freezer!
Fresh herbs - I used mint and basil leaves but Italian parsley would be great too.
Lemon Juice - This adds such a zingy and vibrant note to the sauce.
Salt - You might think the sauce tastes too salty when you first blend it but please trust the salt amount, pasta is bland and needs a well seasoned sauce to balance.
How to make this recipe
Full ingredient list, method and tutorial video are in the recipe card below.
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Making the purée
ONE: Gently fry the garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil for 2 - 3 minutes on a medium heat.
TWO: Drop the green peas into boiling water for 3 minutes, reserving a ⅓ cup of the water before draining.
THREE: Blend the peas, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, salt and a ⅓ cup of the boiling liquid until smooth. Use a smoothie maker like this, a food processor, blender or a stick blender will work too.
FOUR: Optional step is to pass the purée through a sieve. Use a spatula to push it through.
FIVE: This is a reference photo of what you are left with in the sieve.
SIX: You should have a silky smooth sauce.
Finishing the sauce
ONE: Very gently warm the sauce in a large pan over a medium-low heat. You don't want it bubbling too much. It's always a good idea to undercook your pasta slightly so you can add it to the sauce at the end and it remains al dente.
TWO: Add your cooked pasta in with a splash of pasta water, toss and let it very gently bubble for a minute. Serve straight away with lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Expert Tips
- Weigh your pasta portions! This is always one of my biggest tips. It ensures the perfect pasta to sauce ratio and literally takes less than a minute. I suggest 100 grams dried per person or 150 grams fresh per person.
- Use a large skillet to heat the sauce that the pasta will fit into at the end.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water. I tend to transfer the cooked pasta straight into the sauce with a spider strainer so the water is left in the pot to use as I need.
- Finish the dish with lots of parmesan (if not keeping it a vegan sauce) and a drizzle of olive oil. You could also finish with some black pepper, red pepper flakes or lemon zest too!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! It's completely vegan, I personally top it with lots of parmesan cheese but just replace that with a vegan option. You could also add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast into the food processor when making the sauce.
Use any type of pasta you like! I have made a homemade potato gnocchi which I think was a pretty magic combination but anything will work.
I never think pasta reheats overly well but it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Want some other pasta recipes to try?
I have a lot of delicious pasta dishes in my recipe section but here are a few I recommend for next time! My current favorite is my Confit Garlic Butter Pasta, it's a must! For an equally delicious green sauce try my Green Spinach Pasta Sauce. For another quick weeknight dinner try my 10 Minute Creamy Pesto Sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Quick Pea and Basil Green Pasta Sauce
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 cup fresh herbs see notes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt or kosher salt
- ⅓ cup water see notes
- Pasta of your choice 200 grams dried or 300 grams fresh
Instructions
- Drop the peas into a pot of boiling water for three minutes, reserve a ⅓ cup of the water before draining then run some cold water over them in the sieve or colander to stop them overcooking.
- Gently fry the garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a medium - low heat for 2 - 3 minutes. Don't let it brown.
- Blitz the peas, water, herbs, lemon juice, salt and garlic together until smooth. I use a smoothie maker but you could use a stick blender or regular blender.
- An optional step (but recommended!) is to pass the mixture through a sieve with a spatula (see photos and video) to make it smoother.
- Mix in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to finished sauce.
- Cook your pasta in a pot of well salted water according to package instructions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Gently warm the sauce in a large skillet over a medium - low heat. You don't want it to be bubbling too much.
- Add your cooked pasta straight in with a splash of pasta water and toss.
- Let it very gently bubble for 30 secs - 1 minute then serve straight away with lots of freshly grated parmesan (or a vegan option), a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh herbs if you desire.
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