If there's one thing I love cooking (and eating) it has to be pasta. Honestly, I've considered niching down to just pasta at times, but then what would I do with all the cookies recipes ;) One of the reasons I love pasta is because it cooks so quickly. Whenever I find myself wondering what to make for dinner, pasta is my go-to choice. And I love how spring forward this pasta with peas and asparagus recipe is. Tossed in a simple extra virgin olive oil and lemon dressing with a good sprinkle of parm, its light on ingredients but big on flavour. Don't skip on the pistachio panko crunchy topping, it takes this dish to the next level.

Who loves orecchiette?

This may just be one of my favourite pasta shapes of all time. I love how it holds the pasta sauce in it's cute little nook. The name comes from their shape, which translates to little ear. It's a great shape to have with this pasta recipe but you can use any shape of pasta you have on hand, shells would also work great here. But, if by chance you haven't tried orecchiette, I'd highly encourage you to do so.

The Ingredients

Pasta: I use orecchiette as mentioned above, feel free to use whichever shape pasta you want to use. Use a gluten-free pasta if you need to.

Peas: fresh or frozen peas will work here. Since it's spring and there are fresh peas around, I like using those.

Asparagus: I love adding lots of veggies to make is a fuller meal, asparagus and peas just go so well together. Feel free to omit the asparagus, or use one or the other. Tossing in some arugula at the end would also be delicious.

Basil: fresh basil is a perfect spring addition and it adds more flavour too.

Parmesan: the parmesan adds some creaminess, cheesiness and all around deliciousness. See substitutions for other ideas if you need.

Lemon: to help balance out the richness and some acidity, the zest is also used in the panko topping.

Extra virgin olive oil: to coat the pasta.

For the Panko topping

Panko: all about the crunchy topping and panko is the best at getting the job done. See substitutions for other ideas if you need.

Pistachios: adds more greens to this pasta with peas, plus pistachios are so delicious. You'll want to toast them with the panko to bring out thier flavour.

Garlic: this adds flavour and depth.

How to make pasta with peas and asparagus

This green pea pasta is so easy to make. All you need is about 25 minutes from start to finish! Here's how to make it.

First, make the panko topping. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil. Next, add the chopped pistachios and toast for about two to three minutes, until fragrant. Then add the panko and toast for another two minutes and then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring often. Remove from the heat.

Set aside in a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt and grate lemon zest on top.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions. I recommend cooking it slightly under to keep it al dente and because you will be adding it back to the skillet after.

Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet used to cook the topping and add a splash more olive oil. Add your chopped asparagus and peas and cook for about three to four minutes, until the asparagus is bright green and just cooked through. I like it a little on the crunchy side still. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and reserve about 1/3 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet with the veggies and add in the lemon juice, olive oil and parmesan and turn the heat on low. Stir to combine everything and add some of the pasta water as needed to thin it out to your preference. I only used about two to three tbsps of pasta water.

Remove the pasta from the heat and divide into bowls. Top with basil and the panko pistachio topping. Season with flaky salt and fresh pepper, chili flakes, extra olive oil and parmesan if needed (it's always needed!).  

Tips

• Keep things al dente: cook the pasta slightly under what the package says so it stays al dente, plus you'll be heating it through once you toss everything together so it's best to under cook it a little.
• Don't overcook the asparagus: a little crunch is great, so try and only cook it for a few minutes, until bright green and still crisp.
• Reserve some pasta water to thin this out: use your own discretion to add as much (or as little) as you want. I used about two to three tbsp.
• Add some pesto: this is also delicious with pesto, so feel free to add some in to change it up. I love my vegan kale pesto!

Substitutions

• Gluten-free: use a gluten-free pasta of your choice and gluten-free panko.
• Dairy-free: use some nutritional yeast instead, or your favourite dairy-free parmesan. I love creating my own, you can see the recipe for it here.  
• Richer taste: use half butter and half extra virgin olive oil
• Nut-free: feel free to use raw pumpkin seeds instead of pistachios or omit altogether.
• More veggies: feel free to use whichever veggies you love and have on hand. Toss in some arugula or spinach at the end and let it wilt just a little. Or add in some cherry tomatoes.
• Other herbs: feel free to use other fresh herbs if you don't have basil. Parsley would be great here too.
• Fresh or frozen: use fresh or frozen peas, either will work the same here.
• Add more protein: salty pancetta, bacon, or crispy prosciutto would all be delicious added in. You can also add in some cooked Italian sausage too.

More pasta dishes to try:

• One Pot Vegan Penne alla Vodka
• Savory Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce (Creamy/Vegan)
• Vegan Bolognese Sauce
• Creamy Roasted Tomato Sauce (vegan)
• Vegan Chipotle Mac and Cheese
• Easy Kale Pesto Sauce (Vegan)
• Creamy Carrot Pasta Sauce (vegan)
• Easy Garlic Lemon Bucatini

Are you ready to make some easy and delicious pasta with peas and asparagus? Let's get to it!

As always, if you make this pasta with peas recipe please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!

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