This Creamy Green Pea Pasta is the perfect dish for Spring! Fettuccine noodles tossed in a deliciously creamy white sauce and filled with Spring veggies will be your new go-to, you won't want to miss out!
One of my favorite parts of Spring is all the fresh vegetables. I love that you can enjoy the final harvests of winter while also enjoying the first fruits of Spring. I love how dinners waver between a medium-heavy meal and not swinging too far one way or the other. This Creamy Green Pea Pasta is the perfect temperate meal for Spring. Noodles tossed in a creamy white sauce and peas make this the perfect easy weeknight meal. You won't want to miss out!
For some other great pasta recipes, check out this Vegan Cajun Pasta or this Green Pasta Sauce.
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What Makes This Green Pea Pasta the Best
- Quick and Easy- This Green Pea Pasta is quick and easy to make, ready to be on your table in under 30 minutes. It is what makes it the perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy!
- Healthy-Most white sauces are dense and heavy but this one is light and healthy, being made with coconut milk instead of cream. This recipe is also plant-based and full of good-for-you ingredients.
- Budget-friendly- With less than 10 ingredients, this recipe is super budget-friendly! Most of the ingredients you will have on hand already and the others are budget-friendly staples.
Ingredient Notes
- Fettuccine Pasta- I used fettuccine pasta in this recipe because I wanted to mimic the texture and flavor of Fettuccini Alfredo, however, feel free to use whatever noodles you have on hand.
- Coconut Milk- The base of the sauce is full-fat coconut milk. This works perfectly because it has a thick texture and mild flavor. When mixed with garlic and lemon, you won't be able to taste the coconut flavor. Make sure to get the full-fat coconut milk from a can and do not swap it with lite or plant-based milk.
- Frozen Peas- This recipe is perfect because almost everyone has a half-used bag of frozen peas in their freezer. However, you can swap it for fresh peas if you want.
- Vegan Parmesan- To round out the sauce we add some vegan Parmesan to give it a nutty, cheesy flavor. You can either make your own, or you can purchase some at the grocery store.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the lemon juice and zest.
- Pour in the coconut milk and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon easily.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the cream sauce with the vegan parmesan.
- Pour in some of the reserved cooking water and toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add more cooking water if necessary. You want the pasta to be creamy and glossy.
- Add the frozen peas and toss to combine. The peas will cook very quickly so we will want to add them last.
- Serve with extra vegan parmesan cheese and lemon.
Hint: The salty, starchy pasta water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together; so don't forget to reserve that pasta water!
Substitutions
- Peas - If you don't like peas, feel free to swap it with another spring vegetable like asparagus.
- Coconut Milk - If you are sensitive to coconut, feel free to use a vegan heavy cream. If you choose to use a plant milk such as almond milk, it will be much too thin and you may have to add cornstarch to thicken up the sauce.
- Vegan Parmesan- If you don't have vegan Parmesan on hand, feel free to leave it out, you can also add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast to make up for that cheesy flavor that is missing.
Variations
- Spicy - Top with some crushed red chili flakes to spice it up a notch!
- Pesto - Turn this pasta into a creamy pesto sauce by adding ¼ cup pesto to the coconut milk sauce.
- Extra Protein - Sometimes I add a can of chickpeas to the sauce to give it some protein, if I am feeling fancy, I might cut up some vegan chicken tenders and toss those in.
For another great pasta recipe, check out this Baked Walking Taco Casserole!
FAQ's
Pasta should always be cooked a few minutes less than what it says on the packaging. I usually cook it just until it is Al Dente, what this means is that the pasta is firm but still cooked.
No, it is not an Alfredo sauce. Alfredo sauce is made by melting butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese together. This sauce is similar but we use coconut milk and omit the butter.
This pasta is whole-food plant-based. I always use whole wheat noodles when I cook and we are making this dairy-free so it is healthier than traditional pasta recipes.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.
- Large Dutch Oven
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Chef Knife
- Cutting Board
Storage
Store the cooked pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Be aware that pasta soaks up any sauce the longer it sits. I like to spoon out some reserved sauce and keep it in a separate container to use when reheating.
I would not recommend freezing this recipe as the noodles will become gummy and fall apart when thawed out.
Top tips
- Don't forget to reserve that pasta water to add to the sauce! The salty, starchy pasta water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together.
- If you don't have fettuccini on hand, don't worry! This sauce goes well with most pasta shapes. I like making it with spaghetti or fettuccini but sometimes I will also make it with rigatoni or penne.
- Don't ever rinse your pasta after draining! The pasta will be covered in starch that will help to emulsify the sauce and get it to stick better to the pasta.
Other Great Pasta Recipes to Try
- The Best Green Pasta Sauce
- Easy and Delicious Vegan Stuffed Shells
- Bright and Fresh Lemon Orzo Salad
- Oven Roasted Summer Gnocchi
- Easy Lasagna Verde
Creamy Green Pea Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fettuccine noodles
- 2 cups frozen peas
- ½ cup vegan Parmesan cheese
- 2 14.5 ounce cans full-fat coconut milk
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the lemon juice and zest.
- Pour in the coconut milk and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon easily.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the cream sauce with the vegan parmesan.
- Pour in some of the reserved cooking water and toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add more cooking water if necessary. You want the pasta to be creamy and glossy.
- Add the frozen peas and toss to combine. The peas will cook very quickly so we will want to add them last.
- Serve with extra vegan parmesan cheese and lemon.
Notes
- Don't forget to reserve that pasta water to add to the sauce! The salty, starchy pasta water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together.
- If you don't have fettuccini on hand, don't worry! This sauce goes well with most pasta shapes. I like making it with spaghetti or fettuccini but sometimes I will also make it with rigatoni or penne.
- Don't ever rinse your pasta after draining! The pasta will be covered in starch that will help to emulsify the sauce and get it to stick better to the pasta.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Jill says
I've been searching for a fresh spring pasta recipe and this one just hit the spot! Loved the sweet bite from the green peas!
Nora says
Yum! The perfect pasta recipe for me! I love green peas! The Parmesan and garlic are perfect on top! An all around wonderful meal! Thank you for the recipe!
Marysa says
I love the simplicity of this dish. We are a vegetarian family and it is nice to have some quick recipes the whole family can enjoy.
Brianna May says
This is the perfect spring pasta dish! The sauce is decadent without being too heavy. SO good!
Genevieve says
You hit it out of the park with this one, Kayla! I love peas and I always have them stashed in my freezer now I have the perfect pasta recipe on hand for nights when I have no idea what to cook. Looks delicious!