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:
- Delicious Garlic Butter Pasta
- Miso Pasta Sauce with Cannellini Beans and Leeks
- The Best Broccoli Pasta
- Creamy Lemon Pasta
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.
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!
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.
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 to try making some potato gnocchi?
I have photographed the sauce with my Easy Homemade Potato Gnocchi which is such a fun recipe to make at home.
If you would like to make some fresh pasta then head to my Easy Homemade Pasta Dough, it's perfect! You could make some Pappardelle which would be delicious with this creamy green sauce. Check out my Shapes and Guides section for more ideas.
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.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave me a review down below and let me know what you thought! I love to hear any changes or adaptions you have made too. Also if you put a photo on instagram, please tag me so I can see, it makes my day!
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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