Spring Pasta Lemon Cream Peas (Printer-friendly)

Lemon cream pasta with tender peas and spinach. Bright, fresh flavors highlight spring ingredients.

# 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 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

→ Lemon Cream Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
03 - Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add lemon zest and lemon juice; cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently.
04 - Add peas to the skillet. Simmer 2–3 minutes for fresh peas or 1–2 minutes for frozen, until just tender.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add drained pasta, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, and chives. Toss thoroughly, incorporating reserved pasta water gradually until sauce coats evenly.
06 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan, lemon zest, and black pepper.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • This pasta feels impossibly light and creamy: you may want seconds before you know it.
  • It’s the kind of dish that always impresses guests—even if you put it together last minute.
02 -
  • If you forget to reserve pasta water, the sauce can turn clumpy and sticky—it’s worth the reminder.
  • Adding spinach too early makes it soggy and dull; toss it in just before finishing the dish for the best texture and color.
03 -
  • Temper the cream with a bit of hot pasta water before adding cheese for the smoothest sauce.
  • Reserve some chives to sprinkle after plating—it keeps their flavor fresh.
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