Spring Pasta Lemon Cream Peas (Printable)

Pasta combines lemon cream, peas, spinach, and chives for a fresh, flavorful spring dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz linguine or fettuccine

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
03 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

→ Lemon Cream Sauce

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan
13 - Freshly ground black pepper
14 - Lemon zest

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until aromatic and softened, avoiding browning.
03 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, cooking for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
04 - Add peas to the skillet and simmer. If using fresh peas cook for 2-3 minutes, if frozen, cook for 1-2 minutes, until just tender.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add cooked pasta, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, and chives to the skillet. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water incrementally to achieve a silky sauce.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve promptly, garnished with additional Parmesan, lemon zest, and black pepper.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • This lemon cream sauce makes any day feel lighter, and it’s a secret mood-boost for quick dinners.
  • Fresh peas and spinach bring spring’s flavors to your plate without any fuss or fancy prep.
02 -
  • Adding too much lemon juice all at once can make the cream split—always pour slowly and taste as you go!
  • Tossing in hot pasta before the spinach gives you just the right wilt; I learned the hard way that cold pasta doesn’t absorb the sauce.
03 -
  • Warming the cream before adding lemon prevents curdling—give it a minute over gentle heat.
  • Save leftover pasta water, as it can soften the sauce and rescue dry noodles just before serving.
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