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20-Minute Pasta with Green Peas

Published on July 22, 2019 • Last updated April 15, 2024 by Elizabeth
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Ready in just 20 minutes, this pasta with green peas, parsley, lemon & creme fraiche is perfect for a busy mid-week meal. By the time your pasta is done cooking, the sauce is ready!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Top down image of a plate of spaghetti on a plate with green peas and grated cheese on top.
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • A 20-minute vegetarian pasta recipe
  • What you’ll need
  • Equipment
  • How to make it
  • Tips for making this easy vegetarian pasta recipe
  • 20-Minute Pasta with Green Peas
  • Pin this pasta with green peas recipe for later
  • Other quick vegetarian recipes you might like

A 20-minute vegetarian pasta recipe

Life can get busy.

Sometimes, we don’t want to spend hours faffing about with dinner. We want something quick, easy, and effortless, something that’ll fill that hunger gap fast. Something that feels a bit healthy but still ticks the comfort food box.

This is that recipe.

Enjoy!

What you’ll need

  • 400 grams of wheat spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1 brown onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • 2/3 cup fresh peas
  • 6 tbsp creme fraiche
  • 4 tbsp Italian-style hard cheese
  • 1 lemon
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 

Equipment

  • large pot
  • frying pan
  • strainer
  • chopping board
  • kitchen knife
  • wooden spoon
Cooking pasta image
toasting pinenuts on a gas hob
sauteing onions on a gas stove
cooking onions and chilli on gas
cooking peas on a gas stove
creme fraiche sauce for pasta
easy vegetarian spaghetti picture

How to make it

1. Bring a large pan of water to a rapid boil along with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook spaghetti for 10 minutes or until ‘al dente’. Reserve a ladleful of the pasta water for the sauce.

2. Toast your pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat without any oil. Don’t turn your back on them, or they might burn!

3. Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic. Chop the chilli in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and finely chop. Roughly chop the parsley.

4. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute the onion for about five minutes until it begins to soften.

5. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for a further two minutes.

6. Add the peas and 6 tbsp of the reserved pasta water from Step 1. Cook for around five minutes or until the peas are cooked to your liking.

7. Stir in the creme fraiche, toasted pine nuts and half of the grated hard cheese. Season well with salt and pepper, and squeeze in the lemon juice.

8. Stir in the drained spaghetti. Toss well to coat with the sauce. Serve your power pasta with plenty of chopped parsley and the remaining grated hard cheese.

Side on image of finished dish of pasta with green peas.

Tips for making this easy vegetarian pasta recipe

  • Use less chilli if you prefer your dish to be milder in flavour, or if you’re a chilli fiend like me, use plenty!
  • Leftovers reheat very well. Simply store any leftovers in your fridge until needed, then reheat in a dry pan over medium heat until piping hot.
  • Cooking pasta ‘al dente’ means that it still retains some texture after cooking. Although it’s cooked through, it has a bit of solid bite. 
  • Adding salt to the pasta water raises the cooking temperature of the water, making it cook better, and it infuses the pasta with flavour. 
  • Don’t be tempted to ignore your pine nuts when they are toasting – keep stirring them as they will burn quickly. Remove them from the pan as soon as they are the right colour to stop the cooking process.
Close up image of spaghetti pasta with green peas recipe. There are two open pea pods as a garnish on the top, it's pretty.

Recipe Difficulty Levels

Easy

Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.

Moderate

Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.

Challenging

Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.

This quick and easy vegetarian spaghetti recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! #vegetarian #pasta #spaghetti

20-Minute Pasta with Green Peas

Ready in just 20 minutes, this pasta with green peas, parsley, lemon & creme fraiche is perfect for a busy mid-week meal.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 567kcal
Author: Elizabeth

Ingredients

Metric – US Cup Measures
  • 400 grams dried spaghetti
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 brown onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 fresh red chilli to taste
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 100 grams fresh garden peas
  • 5 tbsp crème fraiche
  • 4 tbsp Grana Padano cheese
  • Shetland sea salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon

Affiliate Links

This recipe card may contain affiliate ingredient and equipment links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment

stockpot
strainer
frying pan
chopping board
knife
wooden spoon
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

  • Bring a large pan of water to a rapid boil, along with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook 400 grams dried spaghetti for 10 minutes or until ‘al dente’. Reserve a ladleful of the pasta water for the sauce.
    Cooking pasta image
  • Toast 2 tbsp pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat without any oil. Don’t turn your back on them, or they might burn!
    toasting pinenuts on a gas hob
  • Peel and finely dice 1 brown onion and 2 garlic cloves. Chop the chilli in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and finely chop. Roughly chop the parsley.
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute the onion for about five minutes until it begins to soften.
    sauteing onions on a gas stove
  • Add the garlic and 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped, and cook for a further two minutes.
    cooking onions and chilli on gas
  • Add 100 grams fresh garden peas and 6 tbsp of the reserved pasta water from Step 1. Cook for around five minutes or until the peas are cooked to your liking.
    cooking peas on a gas stove
  • Stir in 5 tbsp crème fraiche, the toasted pine nuts and half of 4 tbsp Grana Padano cheese. Season well with Shetland sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon.
    creme fraiche sauce for pasta
  • Stir in the drained spaghetti and 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped2 tbsp olive oil. Toss well to coat with the sauce. Serve with plenty of chopped parsley and the remaining grated hard cheese.
    easy vegetarian spaghetti picture

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 536mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1639IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 3mg

Pin this pasta with green peas recipe for later

Other quick vegetarian recipes you might like

Comfort Food Pasta Bowl with Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce

10-Minute Pasta Bowl with Tomato and Basil Sauce

Tagliatelle with artichokes, feta and rocket

10-Minute Tagliatelle with Cherry Tomatoes, Artichokes, Feta & Rocket

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10-Minute Vegan Bean Burgers

Category: 30 Minute Meals, Carbohydrates, Pasta, Recipe

About Elizabeth

Solivagant. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

Previous Post:Herbal Teas from Shetland-based Island Botanicals. #medicalherbalism #herbalteaIsland Botanicals, Shetland
Next Post:Strawberry Trifle RecipePerfect for summer, this strawberry Prosecco trifle recipe features strawberry jelly, Prosecco-soaked strawberries, homemade Madeira sponge cake, custard and sweetened whipped cream. #prosecco #trifle #strawberryrecipe #elizabethskitchendiary

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cookilicious

    July 29, 2019 at 5:25 pm

    Looks absolutely delicious! Drooling

    Reply
  2. WhatLauraLoves

    July 29, 2019 at 8:59 am

    This looks so tasty and I definitely think that I could easily make a dairy free version xxx

    Reply
  3. sunshine

    July 29, 2019 at 7:55 am

    5 stars
    I never have seen anything like this. If i don’t use olive oil is it test well? I will try this soon.

    Reply
  4. Sophie Gillum-Webb

    July 28, 2019 at 11:56 am

    This looks delicious I need to have a go at recreating it I’m a bit of a pasta obsessive tbh!!

    Reply
  5. Jess Howliston

    July 27, 2019 at 10:15 pm

    Power Pasta sounds delicious and what a great story behind it! As a mum who is always on the go I am a huge fan of meals that can be prepped and cooked with little time so this sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing xx

    Reply
  6. Lucy Howard

    July 27, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    This looks yummy. And so simple to make. Plus I love pasta recipes with peas in them. Hugs Lucy xxxx

    Reply
  7. Jenni

    July 27, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    Oh I love this! My son has just become obsessed with peas too so I’ll make us this

    Reply
  8. Natasha Mairs

    July 27, 2019 at 10:39 am

    This looks so nice!! I love pasta and could eat it everyday.

    Reply
  9. Stephanie

    July 27, 2019 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    I’m such a pasta fan, and this one looks delicious and so easy to make – I love using HelloFresh recipes as they’re so easy to follow x

    Reply
  10. Sarah | Boo Roo and Tigger Too

    July 26, 2019 at 2:57 pm

    Food subscription boxes are great for trying new recipes without having to waste unused ingredients as well as for learning new cooking skills

    Reply
  11. Lianne

    July 25, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    Im always interested in these subscription boxes, Im just not sure they’d be suitable for my fussy brood!!

    Reply
  12. Rhian Westbury

    July 25, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    Meal subscriptions can make cooking from scratch so much easier, especially if you’re having to relearn cooking in a different kitchen x

    Reply
  13. Suzy

    July 24, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds so delicious! I could eat past everyday especially one that has some amazing veggies in it!

    Reply
  14. Chris Collins

    July 24, 2019 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    I’m always on the hunt for new pasta recipe and this sounds AND looks like an absolute winner! Can’t wait to try 🙂

    Reply
  15. Tisha

    July 24, 2019 at 4:36 pm

    5 stars
    I’m loving that here are peas in this pasta!

    Reply
  16. Jacqueline Debono

    July 24, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never heard of this pasta recipe but it looks delicious. I have peas from my garden which I could use to make this dish! Can’t wait to try it! Pinning for later!

    Reply
  17. johanna @ green gourmet giraffe

    July 23, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    Looks like a delicious easy pasta. Good luck cooking with gas. It is a long time since I had an electric stovetop and I would miss my gas. I can’t get my head around electric burners which stay hot after you turn them off – I love gas is instant on and instant off!

    Reply
5 from 6 votes

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Cooking up a storm at the edge of the world

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Welcome to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary, Scotland’s most northerly award-winning food blog.

I’m based in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, where I’ve been sharing my adventure-fuelling recipes since 2011.

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“Never underestimate the power of your own story. Life may have taken unexpected turns, but it’s never too late to weave new threads of adventure into your tapestry. Keep spinning those yarns, my friend.

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