Pasta With Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Peas Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Pasta With Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Peas Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 15 minutes
Rating
4(1,997)
Notes
Read community notes

Buy a bunch of parsley along with basil or chives to keep on hand in your refrigerator. The herbs will keep for a week if properly stored. Produce departments often use misters, but greens don’t keep well once wet. When you get home, spin the herbs in salad spinner if they’re wet, wrap them in a paper towel and then bag them.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, tarragon, mint and chives
  • Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
  • 1garlic clove, finely minced
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • ¾pound pasta, any type
  • 1cup frozen peas, thawed
  • ¼cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

476 calories; 14 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 71 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 388 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Pasta With Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Peas Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or pasta bowl, combine the herbs, lemon zest, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.

  2. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the pasta. A few minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the water. When the pasta is just about al dente, remove a half cup of the cooking water and add to the bowl with the herbs. Drain the pasta and peas, toss with the herb mixture and the cheese, and serve.

Tip

  • Advance preparation: The herbs can be chopped several hours ahead, but don’t combine the ingredients until you’ve put the water on for the pasta.

Ratings

4

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1,997

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Nancy

I find that parsley lasts much longer, in better condition, if it is stood in a glass or measuring cup with some water at the bottom, covered loosely with a produce bag, in the fridge or in a cool breezeway. Also works very well for cilantro.

Francesca

I craved tarragon for this recipe, but Fairway was out. So used parsley and mint. Delicious. I'd suggest a shape of pasta that will "catch" the peas, like rigatoni, medium shells, or orecchiette.

RY modifications - herring

Added toasted pine nuts.

Rose Casa

I liked Emily Weinstein's note about adding some oil-packed tuna to make this a one dish meal!

Julius Huckabee

This was a total hit in my family. My only change was put heat the oil on low heat and let the garlic mellow in there a bit (no caramelization!). Again, I do hve to laugh at the time estimates at the NYT and how they sneak prep time into the ingredients list. Fifteen minutes? Sure, if your herbs are already chopped, garlic is finely minced, your lemon is zested and juiced, and peas thawed.

kc

I often make thin zucchini ribbons and put them into a colander pour the hot pasta (when ready) and water into the colander over the ribbons to just warm them then mix up the whole thing with the herbs and other veggies like a few grated carrotts for color.

Milano

I switch this up - sometimes I make this and add small pieces of prosciutto, other times I use tuna

stephanie

i'm only a year late (ha) but this is what i do as well. parsley, dill, and cilantro all will last easily a week, frankly even easily two weeks or more in the fridge this way. when i get home i trim the stems a little first. basically you're doing what florists do with fresh cut flowers - same thing. (the produce bag takes care of the humidity bit.) put the trimmed bunch in the glass first, then add the water to ensure only the bottoms of the stems are submerged and you don't overfill the glass.

Caroline

Delicious! My daughter and I spooned a bit of ricotta on top of our individual servings and that balanced the lemon nicely.

Charley

I have made a similar dish for years but stick to only two herbs-fresh from the garden, typically marjoram and parsley. The noodle here is gemelli and makes the peas irretrievable, I use dry gnocchi or shells because both have a patch to catch the pease. I sauce some of the garlic and add some fresh and always use Romano cheese, it makes for a delicious dish.

danielle

absolutely delicious, and super simple. i'd add a little more lemon zest if you want that citrus flavor to come through more. we used curly parsley, a lot of basil and mint. will definitely add tarragon next time!

Paul

This was good, very easy and delicious. Very springy. Mint, basil, parsley and because the farmers' market had it, green garlic instead of regular garlic. And probably 3x what the recipe called for since I really like the herbs. And more peas too since they're so good right now. Used orreciette as another commenter suggested to better catch the peas. Next time maybe I'll remember to put in the chives. But really, didn't need to be better.

Michael Smart

Even better with fresh peas - which need about 3-4 minutes at a boil.

Red Castillo

Instead of chives I used some onion and added more Parmesan than stated - A+ dish!

Elena

This was delicious! We used mostly parsley with a few sprigs of mint and one of rosemary, all fresh. Granulated garlic worked just fine, added almost as a garnish like the Parmesan. Delicious as is, we decided after taking a few bites to add canned tuna and fresh cracked pepper. A tasty and protein packed meal.

Kmari

I did parsley with chives for my herbs and used Follow Your Heart parmesan to make this vegan and it was fantastic!

Linda Hoffman

I made this exactly as the recipe specified…used Italian parsley, chives and mint…just perfect!! Even the three 14 year olds ate it and went back for seconds!!

Linda Hoffman

Put peas in about a minute before the pasta is finished…just enough to thaw them but not long enough to change their color….

Carl

I added chicken meatballs with dill and it was pretty amazing.

Betsy

I followed the the recipe as written and felt that it was a bit lackluster. I made it again, replacing the parmesan cheese with feta. It was delicious. Adding cherry tomatoes would also add a nice touch if you wanted to serve it as a cold pasta salad.

Andrew

I don't know what I did wrong, but this turned out poorly for me. We found that the lemon juice just made the dish too acidic and even bitter. My wife tried to rescue it with some red pepper flakes

Jamie

Was pretty good- we used bucatini so unfortunately the peas got a little lost at the bottom of the dish. Definitely would have preferred a short noodle. I added sautéed shrimp which I cooked with some olive oil in the pasta pot before the water went in. I wish it was a little more flavorful but it was the perfect amount of flavor for my kids.

Catherine

I was looking forward to this dish for days, but I finally made it I was disappointed. It was bland: the lemon and herbs alone are not enough to give it sufficient flavor. I would use less water and more (of a very flavorful) olive oil, more parmesan, more garlic. As has been pointed out elsewhere, it really requires a shaped pasta like orechiette or gemelli to hold the peas; mine just sank to the bottom of the bowl. It sounds lovely but was disappointing.

Pat U

Doubled the parm and garlic, and more herbs. Add more garlic and olive oil.

Purna

By the way, folks, this is a complete protein because it is legumes (peas) and grains (pasta), just like rice and beans is! Lovely simple recipe.

Shutyer Piehole

Note to self: Toss the pasta with the herbs FIRST, then add the cheese. Otherwise you end up with big gooey blobs of herby cheeseballs that you can't evenly mix with the pasta. Also note to self: hold off on the martini until after all dat finished. It was still bright and light, but presentation, meh

kaysara

Easy and fresh dish to make. Next time I might throw in some extra veggies like artichoke or leeks to give it a little more depth but generally a light and tasty pasta.

DL

Good with arugula too.Don't delay on mixing the raw garlic with the lemon juice. Takes the bite off the garlic (like "cooked" ceviche).

Ann

Made this last weekend with asparagus and shrimp with basil and parsley - EXCELLENT.

Rachel

Delicious!! Used basil, chives, mint, parsley, tarragon, close to 1 cup; 3TB lemon juice; added asparagus tips and shaved carrots 2 minutes before and zucchini ribbons and thawed peas 1 minute before pasta was done; added 2 TB toasted pine nuts. Orrichietti. Will definitely make this again!!

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Pasta With Fresh Herbs, Lemon and Peas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the best herbs to add to pasta? ›

Fresh herbs add so much flavor to a dish. In this recipe, basil, oregano, chives, thyme and parsley turn a normal bowl of penne pasta into an extraordinary main dish meal.

Can you put fresh oregano in pasta? ›

Cook pasta according to directions, drain and toss with sauce. Stir in remaining olive oil, oregano and top with cheese before serving.

What leaf do you put on pasta? ›

5 Wonderful Herbs To Complement Your Pasta:
  1. Oregano. The most common herb that can add life to Italian food is oregano. ...
  2. Sage. The strong, slightly bitter flavour of Sage keeps it from losing aroma while cooking. ...
  3. Basil. Another common sprig that gives a whole new taste to any dish is Basil. ...
  4. Thyme. ...
  5. Parsley.
Dec 16, 2019

How to spice up plain pasta noodles? ›

I like to add plain cooked pasta to a skillet with some butter and add garlic salt, black pepper, and paprika to it. It depends on your taste and how unhealthy/healthy do you want it. Take some butter, heat it on low with garlic and any herb that you like(not dried) basil, thyme and rosemary are great.

What are four typical herbs used in pasta dishes? ›

Stock These 4 Herbs For Delicious Italian Cooking
  • Basil. ...
  • Rosemary. ...
  • Oregano. ...
  • Thyme. ...
  • Authentica Kitchen Tip: the flavour of dried herbs takes time to release so it's recommended to almost always add them during the cooking process, not after.

Do you add herbs before or after cooking pasta? ›

Fresh herbs should be added close to or at the end of cooking because you want to preserve their delicate, fragrant qualities (ex. parsley on pasta or mint on meatballs).

Is oregano or basil better for pasta? ›

Season your sauce properly for the best results

You can also choose to go the fresh basil route, but you'll want to pair it with fresh oregano, too. Just make sure to add plenty more fresh herbs than you would dried, since the drying process packs more flavor into the herbs.

When should I add fresh oregano to pasta sauce? ›

Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens. When ready to serve, add a few leaves of fresh oregano.

What is the primary herb in pasta? ›

Known as the Italian herb, Basil is more associated with Italian cooking than any other. It's a fundamental ingredient in tomato sauces, pasta dishes and pairs beautifully with cheese when fresh or dried. Its aromatic and accessible nature means it can freshen up any Italian dish quickly.

What do they put on pasta in Italy? ›

Tomatoes and their saucy offspring are synonymous with Italy. But, tomato-based sauces are mainly eaten in the country's South. In other Italian regions, a panoply of tomato-free options abounds – including cacio e pepe (Rome), radicchio and gorgonzola (the Veneto), and squid ink sauce (seaside areas).

What vegetables to add to pasta? ›

Here's a variety of tasty vegetables you can load into your pasta for their flavor, fiber, and nutrients.
  1. Broccoli. Broccoli is a nutritious and versatile vegetable that makes a great addition to any pasta dish. ...
  2. Mushrooms. ...
  3. Peas. ...
  4. Spinach. ...
  5. Tomatoes. ...
  6. Asparagus.
Apr 11, 2022

What to put on pasta when you have no sauce? ›

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

What can I add to pasta to make it more flavorful? ›

Here are my favorite ways to make canned spaghetti sauce more exciting!
  1. 1 - Extra virgin olive oil. Adding a good amount of a flavorful olive oil will go a long way in infusing flavor into your sauce. ...
  2. 2 - Fresh garlic. ...
  3. 3 - Meat. ...
  4. 4 - Hot pepper flakes. ...
  5. 5 - Red wine. ...
  6. 6 - Fresh or dried herbs. ...
  7. 7 - Cheese. ...
  8. 8 - Cream and/or butter.
Feb 26, 2018

How can I make my pasta more flavorful? ›

The Easy Secrets to Way Better Pasta
  1. Make sure your cooking water is salty like the sea, and almost as plentiful. ...
  2. Check the package's cooking time, but don't put too much faith in it. ...
  3. Reserve a little pasta water. ...
  4. Never, ever rinse. ...
  5. Finish your pasta in its sauce.
Apr 16, 2017

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