This Sweet Pea Pesto Pasta is a fresh twist on traditional pesto, creamy, vibrant green, and full of spring flavor. This easy pasta recipe made with peas, fresh herbs, pistachios, and Parmesan cheese is ready in under 30 minutes and makes a great hot dinner or cold pasta salad!
Why you’ll love this sweet pea pesto:
- Ready in about 20 minutes
- Naturally lively and loved by children
- Nutty, fresh and slightly sweet
- Delicious hot or cold
- It’s perfect as a spring and summer side dish.
Why sweet peas make the perfect pesto base:
Peas add:
- natural sweetness
- Creamy texture
- bright green color
- Extra fiber and plant-based protein
The saltiness of the Parmesan cheese and pistachios balances beautifully, creating a pesto that’s lighter and slightly sweeter than the traditional version.
Tips for Creamy Pesto Pasta:
Don’t Skip the Pasta Water
A light sprinkle of starchy pasta water will help emulsify the pesto and create a smooth coating.
Use high quality olive oil
Because this pesto is uncooked, the flavor of the olive oil really shines.
Blend until very smooth.
Mix well so there are no visible lumps for a kid-friendly texture.
Season generously.
Taste before serving with pasta. Peas are naturally sweet, so salt and lemon help balance the flavor.
Substitutions and Variations:
This recipe is incredibly flexible. Here are some easy ways to exchange:
Nut free option
- Replace pistachios with sunflower seeds
- For a similar texture, use pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
cheese alternative
- Swap Parmesan Cheese for Pecorino
- Use nutritional yeast for a dairy-free version
hub exchange
- Replace Mint with Basil
- Add fresh parsley
- To get more vegetables, try eating a handful of baby spinach
Add protein
Turn it into a complete meal by adding:
- grilled chicken
- shrimp
- white beans
- chickpeas
More delicious pasta recipes:
Pea Pesto Pasta
This Sweet Pea Pesto Pasta is creamy, fresh, and ready in under 20 minutes! Made with peas, basil, mint, pistachios, and Parmesan cheese, it’s perfect as a warm or cold pasta salad.
In a high-speed blender, combine peas, garlic, basil, mint, Parmesan cheese, pistachios, salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, and water. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally as needed. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add pesto and toss until evenly coated. Stir in peas, pistachios, and Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil. If necessary, add reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Serve warm or refrigerate to make a cold pasta salad.
