My search for clarity has left me empty-handed this week, which isn’t to say that I haven’t tried. There have been long walks and talks with friends, vinyasas at yoga class and lots of sleep, maybe too much. Though my preoccupied mind and tiny kitchen haven’t produced any original recipes worth sharing this week, I am glad to share this one. I was flipping through a cookbook during a phone call when this recipe spoke to me. It’s seasonally appropriate, bursting with flavor and gorgeous green hues, and from one of my most trusted resources, Aida Mollenkamp’s Keys to the Kitchen.
Beware that this recipe requires some serious chopping work, but the end result is worth the effort. The recipe yields quite a bit of food, enough for six to eight servings, so it may be best created with helpers and shared with a small crowd. I’ve realized lately that good food tastes much better when shared.
Spring Pea and Asparagus Pasta
- Author:
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
This very green pasta dish is bursting with spring flavors, including peas, asparagus and fresh herbs. Once you have prepped your vegetables, the dish comes together rather quickly. This recipe yields a lot (enough for 6 to 8 servings) so feel free to halve it if you are serving two.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) whole grain pasta (conchiglie, orecchiette, shells, fusilli or linguine will work)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 5 shallots, quartered lengthwise and sliced very thin crosswise
- 1 pound pencil-thin asparagus, woody ends snapped off, and cut in ½-inch slices on the bias
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups shelled fresh or frozen English peas (defrost peas if frozen)
- ⅔ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or regular Parmesan), plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from one lemon)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (less than one lemon)
- 1 cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (I used flat-leaf Italian parsley, chives and mint, other suggestions include chervil and tarragon)
- ¾ cup toasted pine nuts
- sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- First, prep your vegetables. Then bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in your largest frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown (about 5 minutes).
- Add the asparagus and garlic, season with salt, and cook until the asparagus is knife-tender and bright green (about 3 minutes). Stir in the peas and cook until the peas are bright green (about 2 minutes).
- Add the drained pasta to the pan along with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat. Cook until the sauce starts to coat the pasta (about 2 minutes). Remove the pan from heat and transfer its contents to a large serving bowl. Add the cheese and butter and stir to coat. (Add more pasta water as needed. The sauce should just cling to the pasta.)
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs and pine nuts. Taste and adjust seasonings as required (add a pinch of salt, red pepper flakes and/or a squeeze of lemon juice if desired). Grate some cheese over the top and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Minimally adapted from Keys to the Kitchen: The Essential Reference for Becoming a More Accomplished, Adventurous Cook by Aida Mollenkamp.
- Leftovers will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge, covered.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Perfect for spring, I love all the green tones and the bounty of fresh herbs!
Beth @ Tasty Yummies
This looks amazing!! I have been dying to make a spring pasta like this. It is my favorite this time of year. Such stunning photos!!
Abby @ The Frosted V
Stunning presentation as always, love this spring pasta dish, I have been eyeing it in the Keys to the Kitchen for a while : )
Ashley
The simple flavors and loads of asparagus are calling my name. This looks fabulous! I’ve been looking to pick up that book…definitely need to!
HH @ EatGreatBEGreat
This sounds great! My husband loves asparagus…need to try asap!!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic
I am sorry you aren’t reaching any clarity with whatever seems to be getting you down. I really hope your heart is lightened soon! This is one of my favorite ultimate comfort food recipes from that beautiful cookbook. So good!
Angela
Sounds like you’re dealing with some pretty heavy stuff… I hope things start to clear up for you soon! As for this pasta, you’ve done a beautiful job!! I have been hearing lots about Keys to the Kitchen lately and might have to get a copy for myself!
Kate
Thank you, Angela.
Sarah
That looks so delicoius. I love all that green in there. I really want that cookbook since I keep hearing such good things about it.
Kate
Thanks, Sarah. Keys to the Kitchen is a really great cookbook, one that I feel confident that most people would love.
Margarita
i hope you find yourself back in your happy place after all this chaos leaves you… your writing is still beautiful, your food is still great, and you are lovely, as always! keep doing what you do and take things one step at a time. you are awesome!
Kate
Thank you so much, Margarita. :)
Eileen
Oh yes, pasta with all the freshest veg of spring! I love it. And it just so happens that I have both peas and asparagus in my crisper as we speak… :)
Stephanie
Gorgeous and so fresh-looking! Pinning and making as a way to welcome in spring (even if the weather doesn’t know it yet :))
Dulcie (Two Tarts)
You had me at “spring pea”… Delicious!
Chef Connie Gordon
Wonderful recipe. Very beautiful pictures as usual. Hope things become more clear soon. The long walks seem to help me.
Kate
Thank you, Connie.
Liz
This recipe sounds lovely and I will for sure make it soon. Thanks very much.
Kate
Thanks for commenting, Liz. Hope you enjoy my recipes!
Ashley
I am absolutely in love with this bright Spring pasta, Kate! I’m coming over for dinner!
Kate
Please do, Ashley! I have so much leftovers!
Doreen Smith
How can I get the nutrition values on this recipe? It looks wonderful. Would love to make it.
Kate
Hi Doreen, I don’t provide nutrition details for my recipes, but you could calculate them at myfitnesspal.com if you would like.
MR | Delicious Karma
Oh, this looks soooooo perfect! A nice combo of fresh spring veggies and comforting pasta. I’ve added it to our Delicious Karma Pinterest Board and will plan on making it this weekend!
Tieghan
I love asparagus and I love how the pieces of asparagus are all snuggled into the shells! Yumm, i want to make this tonight!
Joanne
So much gorgeous green! I hope this meal lifted your spirits…at least a little!
ami@naivecookcooks
this pasta and all those green vegetables look amazing together!
marissa @ the boot
this is my kind of pasta. and it looks gorgeous. :) hope it all gets better soon!
thelittleloaf
I’ve been wondering whether to buy a copy of this book – if it’s filled with simple, beautiful recipes like this, I may just have to!
Kate
I highly recommend it! It’s like a modern day Joy of Cooking, with tons of simple, fresh recipes.
Leaf Parade
How green and happy! And I love the addition of the pine nuts! I’ll have to give it a try sometime soon.
-Emily K.
Averie @ AverieCooks
I just happen to have bought asparagus yesterday. How lucky! This is gorgeous, Katie!
Sylvie @ GitK
Looks at all that beautiful green! One of the best parts of spring are definitely peas and asparagus.
ashley-bakerbynature
This pasta is so bright and beautiful, Kate! I kind of want it for breakfast with an egg on top haha.
Katrina @ WVS
So perfect for a spring-y meal! Yum!
Lesley
May you find clarity and me some green asparagus (it’s the season for fat white asparagus now in my part France).
Brenda
This was great!! Next time I think I will add a little more garlic but overall we really liked it. I think the leftovers will be good cold too!
Kate
Thanks, Brenda! Glad you liked it. I was tempted to add more garlic to the recipe as well. I love garlic.
Megan@CookingOnEmpty
I love the combination of asparagus and peas. The asparagus would give it an earthy flavor, while the peas would add sweetness. Such a nice flavor profile. Thanks for sharing!
Marcie
This dish looks so fresh and wonderful. It’s like spring in a pot!
Kathryn
I love the bright and fresh flavours of this. It feels like a new start in a bowl. I love it.
Jennie @themessybake
This is a beautiful pasta salad.
Lauren@La Dolce Pita
What a lovely springtime pasta dish! Will be making this soon.
Jamie @ GB&G
One thing’s clear: you are very talented, friend!
Kate
Thank you, Jamie. :)
Kai
Hi, Kate,
I echo the other commenters – I really hope that whatever is challenging you right now passes soon, and that you are able to learn from it in a way that is ultimately rewarding. I’m sending you tooooooons of hugs from this new Chicago reader – I LOVE your blog, and have been sharing it with friends.
Peace,
Kai
Kate
Hey Kai, thank you very much for your support. I’m so glad you’re reading, and sharing my blog! Thank you.
Yosef - This America
Looks like the perfect dish for this time of year.
Joey
I made your Spring Pea and Asparagus Pasta for dinner tonight, your Spicy Sweet Potato Hummus for an afternoon snack yesterday– both amazingly delicious and SO fresh with flavor! Thank you Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray, glad to hear you’re enjoying my recipes, Joey!
dervla @ the curator
here’s hoping things start looking up soon, Kate!
Becky
I love spring and all the bright green vegetables it brings! Hoping for clarity for you and a few nice spring days that bring restoration :)
Sarah
How do I put this succinctly? Hell to the yeah.
Jess
Oh Kate – here’s hoping clarity and calm come your way. Vinyasa and some good, comforting meals seem like a good bet. Thinking of you!
dishing up the dirt
Sending positive vibes your way!
Jennifer
Thanks for this wonderful recipe! I made it last night and it was like a big bowl of springtime. So glad I discovered your blog recently!
Kate
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m glad you found my blog, too.
Julia
What a light and refreshing take on pasta! Definitely making this next time I make pasta!
Cookbook Create
Pea season is here! Thanks for highlighting one of our favorite spring vegetables. We want to try this with extra cheese like Pecorino and add some Cremini mushrooms and artichokes.
Good luck on your hunt for clarity. Looking forward to more spring posts.
Courtney
This looks fantastic!! I make something like this with peas and garlic and pasta but yours is much fancier…can’t wait to check it out!
honeywhatscooking
this looks incredibly delicious… i love asparagus.
Megan
I am eating this as I type. It is delicious. I couldn’t justify the$32 for pine nuts so I used pumpkin seed instead, still rather tasty. Thanks for posting this!
Kate
$32 for pine nuts is crazy! Glad you enjoyed the dish with pumpkin seeds. Toasted sliced almonds or sunflower seeds might also be nice.
Jim
Made this with quinoa pasta and zucchini instead of asparagus and freshly shelled peas as a refrigerator cleaner dinner based on the fact that we had the peas. I can confirm at the family enjoyed it so thank you!
Kate
Thanks, Jim! I’m so glad you adapted it to work for you and enjoyed it. Thank you for commenting to let me know!
Minda Johnson
Just had this for dinner and we loved it! Thanks so much and be well. Namaste
Kate
Thank you, Minda!
Katie
Hi Kate,
I have just recently discovered your blog, and I love it. Not only do the recipes look great, I am grateful for the tips you have written for those of us who are just starting out in the food blogging world – very helpful. This recipe looks amazing and I think I’ll try it out soon, even though it’s now autumn so not so seasonal! Oh, and Cookie looks so cute, I personally think mongrels are the best :-)
Kate
Thanks, Katie! Please let me know what you think of the pasta. Cookie says hi.
Jennifer Masefield
Didn’t have any of your suggested pasta shapes so used Cavatelli. Result was excellent, truly amazing combination of flavours. Thank you.
Kate
Jennifer, so glad you enjoyed the pasta. Thank you for commenting!
Sharon
Kate love your recipes but wonder why you don’t put the nutritional values at the end of your recipes would really appreciate them thanks for the great recipes
Kate
Hi Sharon, I’m sorry, I don’t provide nutrition information because it really varies based on the ingredients used. I don’t want to provide inaccurate information to my readers. I’d suggest running this recipe through myfitnesspal.com to calculate the facts.
Stacey
I made your spring pea and asparagus pasta last night for dinner. The herbs (Italian parsley, chives and mint) that I used for the dish were refreshing. It is also one of those pasta dishes that wont surprisingly weigh you down due to a heavy sauce. Great for a week night dinner!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Stacey! Glad you enjoyed it!
Lisa
YUM! Did all the prep work while my kids napped this afternoon and dinner came together in a breeze! Thank you so much!!!!
Kate
Happy to hear it! Thanks, Lisa!
Johanna
I made this last week. We loved it!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you, Johanna!
Stephanie
Made this for dinner last night – it was INSANE! Told my housemate that we were having a healthy dinner and she pulled a face. She then took leftovers for lunch today so I’m calling it a win.
I actually forgot to put the butter in and it was still delicious. I am now off to plow the rest of your recipes :)
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thanks, Stephanie. So glad you and your skeptical roommate loved the pasta. :)
Loni
I’m always looking for recipes that include a lot of veggies so this was perfect for me. It was my first time cooking with asparagus, fresh parsley, and scallions (I confused shallots with scallions. They’re both onion-like so I was close!). My favorite thing about this recipe was the flavoring that the lemon juice added and my last favorite was the big bite of parsley that I took! Thanks a lot!
★★★★★
Kate
Yay! Glad you enjoyed this pasta, Loni! I bet scallions were great anyway. Glad you enjoyed it!
Katie
I just made this and threw a cup of the extra pasta water in the blender with an avocado before coating the pasta. I also may have added 3x the garlic. So good!
Bri
I know this is an old blog entry, but I just tried this recipe. It was spectacular. I used parsley and mint and added some white wine with the pasta water. You have a beautiful blog! Can’t wait to explore more recipes. Thank you!
★★★★★
Gabrielle
I made this for my dinner last night, and didn’t realise until I had already prepped all the veggies that I meant to halve the the recipe. Oh well! I just halved the pasta and looked forward to all the extra veggies per serving. I also left out the parmesan in favour of this dairy-free substitute I made to try instead. It worked out just fine and overall this dish is amazing! So tasty.
★★★★★
Michelle
While it isn’t spring it sure feels like it here in Los Angeles so I decided to give this a try. It was delicious! I just finished leftovers and made myself a moscow mule using your recipe. Thank you for all your great recipes!
★★★★★
Kate
Great combination of meal and beverage. :) Thank you, Michelle!
Shelby
I made this tonight but made it vegan by doing vegan butter and homemade vegan parmesan cheese, topped with fresh basil from my garden this was AMAZING! Definitely one of my favorite recipes I’ve ever made, thanks for passing it along :)
★★★★★
Kate
Homemade vegan parmesan cheese! That’s great. You’re very welcome. Thanks for commenting and providing a review.
Emily
This was good—I liked the lemon+mint combination. We used walnuts instead of pine nuts. Very fresh and light.
★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Emily!
Dianne
I substituted here and there: rotini,leeks,chives, toasted sunflower seeds, fresh cilantro. Added peeled shrimp to the boiling pasta. It was super! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome!
Joni
This recipe is an oldie but a goodie. I made this again last night and realized when I got home I had forgotten to pick up lemon at the store! This time, I substituted some balsamic vinegar for the lemon, and it turned out delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
I agree with you, Joni! Thanks for the review.
Kathie
I loved this! I ended up using all of the lemon juice and pasta water and lots of red pepper flakes. I added a cup of fresh chopped spinach to my oregano/basil/mint herbs (sounds weird, but it was fantastic). Also, I used whole wheat fusilli.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Kathie!
Kathie
PS – I have a vegan friend. Anything you would suggest as a substitute for the cheese?
Kate
You could substitute a vegan parmesan cheese. You want this recipe creamy. I haven’t tried it, but let me know what you think!
Allie
I didn’t include the toasted pine nuts but this recipe perfectly captures the flavors and colors of spring. Will make again!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Allie!
Tobie
I have to make something for a potluck and I have all of these ingredients from my CSA box yesterday. Do you think this would be good room temp? I will have to cook it earlier in the day and not serve until dinner time.
Kate
I wouldn’t leave it set out too long. Sorry for my delay! How did it turn out?
Patrice Beittel
Delicious! Used chives from my garden which are just blooming now along with grocery story parsley and locally grown asparagus. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any pine nuts on hand; so I toasted about a cup of panko bread crumbs in a frying pan with a little butter to add some texture. This worked well, but I think the recipe would even be better with pine nuts. Thanks for the great recipe! My family loved it.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you were able to use what you had on hand, Patrice! I appreciate your review.
Reka
Hi Kate! Thank you for the great recipe, delicious as always! I made it as a weeknight dinner, so I had to make some swaps based on what I found in my pantry. I substituted cheddar for the parmesan and used a mix of toasted almonds and sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts, and it still turned out pretty great :)
Thanks again for the inspiration!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Redkat
So delicious and springy! My husband has dietary restrictions so we used gluten-free pasta and skipped the cheese and nuts. I added 4 slices of chopped bacon to make up for the omissions. Cooked bacon and removed from pan, drained half of the grease and sauteed the shallots in the remaining grease. So delicious even my 5year old ate all his dinner, which is super rare!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you were able to make this work for your needs, Redkat.
Kathy
I’ve made this delicious recipe twice and love the incredibly fresh flavors. I used 8 ounces of chickpea pasta and feel like that was the right ratio of ingredients for me. I also like the added protein and fiber that the chickpea pasta provides.
★★★★★
Vlada
hoping to make this for dinner tonight! bc of limitations, i don’t have shallots or those particular herbs (though i do have fresh thyme & rosemary). any guidance on how to substitute? thank you!
Kate
Hi there! Do you have red onion? A small red onion would be a great substitute for the shallot. I’m afraid thyme and rosemary will be too intense here. You can omit the herbs. The dish just won’t be quite as fresh and lively without them—still good, though!
vlada
ah bless you, kate! i do have a red onion! thank you so much for your quick reply <3
Kirsten
AMAZING! Made with fresh pappardelle and frozen corn instead of peas and it was delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Kirsten!
Carly
SO TASTY! Definitely have to make again!
★★★★★
Merideth
SO tasty as always! I used up the last of my farmers market asparagus, added some broccoli, and that was the perfect combination of textures with the peas. Literally spring in a bowl!
★★★★★
Hansi
I made this with penne pasta becuase that’s what I had on hand and loved it. My husband liked it but wasn’t thrilled with the pine nuts, so the next time I made it I did not mix in the pine nuts and sprinkled them on my serving. Our CSA share included asparagus so guess what’s for dinner tonight…
★★★★★
Menchie
Colors like spring.
I added carrots for an extra color and omitted the butter. Still very delicious.
Great simple recipe for a week-night dinner.
★★★★★
Andrea
This was SO surprisingly good! I’m not a huge asparagus or pea fan, but this dish was a perfect way to enjoy them. I used parsley and mint and half the butter. I think I might sprinkle the cheese on post serving instead to make it a little healthier. We will make this again for sure.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad this recipe was a great way for you to enjoy asparagus and peas! Thank you for your review, Andrea.
Wiley
Delightful recipe and vibrant with flavors
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review Wiley!
Ellen
It was so delicious! I maybe could have done with 1 less shallot but overall very delicious and great leftovers.
★★★★★