Spring Garlic Pasta with Peas and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 poundpasta (any shape (penne, farfalle, or linguine work well))
- 2 cupsfrozen peas
- 6 clovesgarlic
- ⅓ cupextra-virgin olive oil
- 1lemon
- ·kosher salt
- ·black pepper
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cupParmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- ¼ cupfresh parsley
Prep
- 01
Mince 6 cloves garlic.
- 02
Zest 1 lemon and juice it.
- 03
Chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley.
- 04
Grate 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 9–12 minutes.
- 02
Meanwhile, combine garlic and 1/3 cup olive oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Cook gently, swirling occasionally, until the garlic is golden and fragrant, about 4–5 minutes. Do not brown. If using red pepper flakes, add them now and cook for 30 seconds.
- 03
When pasta has about 3 minutes left, add frozen peas directly to the pasta water and stir. They'll thaw and cook through in those final minutes.
- 04
Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and peas together.
- 05
Transfer pasta and peas to a large bowl. Pour the warm garlic oil over top, add the juice of 1 lemon, and toss gently. Add Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and black pepper to taste. If the pasta seems dry, add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until silky.
- 06
Finish with fresh parsley and a few lemon zest shavings. Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
The red pepper flakes add gentle warmth; feel free to omit if you prefer no heat. For earthiness, try a small pinch of nutmeg whisked into the garlic oil. Fresh mint can replace or mingle with the parsley for a different bright note.
This recipe celebrates a few clean flavors and comes together in under 25 minutes. Frozen peas are a pantry staple and cook perfectly in the pasta water—no extra pot needed. You can add a handful of spinach or arugula at the end for extra green if you like.