Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas is a super easy, nutritious vegetarian weeknight dinner that is ready in thirty minutes or less. This dish is perfect for Springtime when asparagus, sugar snap peas, scallions, and mint are abundant and at their peak freshness!
The asparagus pesto is creamy and delicious, and the minty sugar snap peas (plus scallions, fresh garlic, and seasonings) adds texture and tons of flavor to the dish. I use whole grain pasta as a great source of protein and fiber. 🌾
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How to Make Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas
I’m always looking for healthy excuses to eat pasta. Filled with lots of vegetables and nutrients but also delicious is what I aim for, and this Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas checks those boxes!
You may also like my Pasta with Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Sauce recipe.
Cook the Asparagus
Get a large pot of salted water boiling. Chop or snap the woody/tough ends of the asparagus and discard (or make asparagus ends soup)!
Once the water is boiling, add your asparagus and boil for seven to eight minutes, or until the asparagus is soft but not mushy. Drain the asparagus, reserving two tablespoons of water for the pesto, and set aside to cool.
Minty Sugar Snap Peas
These are so simple and yummy! I could eat them in a big bowl all by themselves.
Remove any stringy ends from the sugar snap peas and slice them about a half inch thick. I like to slice my garlic thinly; finding those little slivers of garlic while eating Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas is one of my favorite parts!
Sauté the sliced sugar snap peas, garlic, and scallions in heated extra virgin olive oil and butter. Sprinkle in the salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes for a hint of heat. Continue cooking over medium to high heat for five to seven minutes. The peas should still have a crunchy bite to them.
Splash in a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water and stir (this will release any bits that are stuck to the pan). Chiffonade the fresh mint and toss it with the peas. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
You can begin boiling salted water for the pasta now and drop that when it’s ready! Reserve half a cup of the pasta water before straining.
Blend the Asparagus Pesto
The asparagus pesto is made up of mostly asparagus, yet it’s still so lusciously creamy!
Now that your asparagus is cooled, pulse it several times in a large food processor along with the basil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, reserved asparagus water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Now that it’s chopped up a bit, slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil while the large food processor is running.
Blend until silky smooth.
Finishing the Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas
In a large pot, gently toss your pasta with the asparagus pesto and the remaining reserved pasta water until all the pasta is coated. Fold in the minty sugar snap peas (you can save a little for garnish but that’s optional).
To complete the dish, I like to garnish the pasta with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese, chopped fresh mint, basil, and pine nuts, and a lemon wedge. 🍋🌿
I hope you enjoy my Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas recipe!
🌻Since it’s Mother’s Day and my mom is going to be the first person to read this recipe post (as always). HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!! I love you and thank you for being the best Mommy in the world. 💛
As always, I’d love to hear from you all! About your experience with this dish, any alterations you may have made and loved (or didn’t love), or just life and cooking in general. Please leave a review/comment/question below, reach out via email, and/or stay connected with me on social media, which I have linked below. Take care! – Jenna 🖤
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Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Creamy asparagus pesto and minty sugar snap peas are tossed with pasta for a quick and nutritious weeknight meal!
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 8 ounces linguine (I used whole grain)
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Asparagus Pesto:
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends discarded
- 10 large basil leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon reserved asparagus water
- zest of one lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Minty Sugar Snap Peas:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2–pound (about 2 cups) sugar snap peas, sliced
- 1/2 cup spring onions
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chiffonade cut
Garnish (optional):
- Parmesan Cheese
- Chopped Mint + Basil
- Pine Nuts
- Lemon Wedge
Instructions
- COOK THE ASPARAGUS. Get a large pot of salted water boiling. Chop the woody/tough ends of the asparagus and discard. Once the water is boiling, add your asparagus and boil for seven to eight minutes, or until the asparagus is soft but not mushy. Drain the asparagus, reserving two tablespoons of water for the pesto, and set aside to cool.
- PREPARE THE MINTY SUGAR SNAP PEAS. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat; melt the butter with oil. Remove any stringy ends from the sugar snap peas and slice those and the scallions about a half-inch thick. Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Sauté the sugar snap peas, scallions, and garlic in heated extra virgin olive oil and butter. Sprinkle in the salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes for a hint of heat. Continue cooking over medium to high heat for five to seven minutes. Splash in two tablespoons of reserved pasta water and stir, removing any brown bits (aka flavor!) from the bottom of the pan. Fold in the mint, remove from heat and set aside. The peas should still have a crunchy bite to them!
- COOK THE PASTA. Bring a generously salted pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions (I like it Al dente). *Reserve a half cup of pasta water before straining!
- BLEND THE ASPARAGUS PESTO. Now that your asparagus is cooled, pulse it several times in a large food processor along with the basil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, reserved asparagus water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Now that it’s chopped up a bit, slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil while the large food processor is running. Blend until silky smooth.
- FINISHING THE ASPARAGUS PESTO PASTA WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS. In a large pot, gently toss your pasta with the asparagus pesto and the remaining reserved pasta water until all the pasta is coated. Fold in the minty sugar snap peas (you can save a little to garnish the dish but that’s optional). To complete the dish, I like to garnish the pasta with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese, chopped fresh mint and basil, and a lemon wedge. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Seasonal Spring
Keywords: Vegetarian, Vegetarian Weeknight Dinners, Pasta Recipes Vegetarian, Creamy Pasta Recipes, Simple Pasta Recipes, Pasta Recipes for Dinner, Best Pasta Recipes, Pasta Recipes For Dinner, Asparagus Pesto Pasta, Pesto, Asparagus Recipe, Easy Asparagus Recipes, Asparagus, Minty Sugar Snap Peas, Mint, Sugar Snap Peas, Scallions, Easy Healthy Dinner Ideas, Healthy Main Meals, Healthy Meals for the Week, Weekly Dinner Ideas, Weeknight Recipes, Dinner Ideas, Easy Dinner Recipes, Weeknight Dinners Healthy, Healthy Dinner Recipes, Quick Easy Healthy Meals, Spring Recipes, Spring Recipes Vegetarian, Spring Recipes Healthy, Spring Recipes Easy, Spring Vegetables Recipe, Lazy Dinners, Lazy Summer Meals, Quick Easy Healthy Meals, Summer Recipes Healthy, Summer Recipes Easy, Summer Recipes 2022, Top 10 Summer Recipes, Easy Summer Dinners, Lazy Summer Dinner Ideas, Summer Weeknight Dinners, Easy Summer Dinner Recipes for Family, Summer Dinner Party Menu, Summer Dinner Ideas Kid Friendly, Summer Dinner Ideas for Hot Days
It looks delicious and the pictures are beautiful as usual!! Thanks to my wonderful daughter for mentioning me in her blog on Mothers day! I wish you were here to spend it with me but I know you’re here in your heart . I love you❤❤
★★★★★
This looks amazing! Love that it takes less than an hour to male!
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Thank you! Yes, quick and easy dinners are just needed sometimes!
This is a very unique recipe and a great way to use asparagus which are just in season now. Beautiful photos as well which helps when following the recipe. Thanks!
★★★★★
I appreciate your kind words, and hope you enjoy the recipe if you decide to make it!
I never thought all these ingredients together would look so good but they do! Will be trying this recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you so much! I hope you love it. 🙂
I’m very curious about the flavor of this pasta. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing with us!
Let me know what you think!
This look so good and interesting ingredients. I will save this recipe to try it sometime in the future. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!
I hope you try it & love it!
This recipe sounds yummy. Thank you for sharing this easy to make recipe. ☺️
Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)
Letstakeamoment.com
★★★★★
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the recipe. 🙂
This is an exciting way to use asparagus and trick the children into eating them. I made sweet basil pesto in the past but never thought about using asparagus as a pesto ingredient. The presentation is very eye-catching and it looks very delicious; perfect for my Meatless Monday adventure.
Yes, this recipe is very kid-friendly. Children would never know this pasta dish is healthy! Asparagus makes this dish surprisingly creamy. I appreciate the kind words and hope you try the dish!
Love the addition of asparagus to pesto. Definitely will be trying this! Thanks!
Thank you Adam, I hope you enjoy this recipe!
I want tot try this recipe
Hi Jimmy! I hope you try it and love it.
I love anything with pesto. This sounds like it would be so delicious – can’t wait to try it.
Me too, Chantelle! I hope you enjoy the asparagus pesto pasta recipe. 🌿
Can;t wait for asparagus season to return so that I can make this pesto!!!
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I know, I’m looking forward to Spring as well! I hope you enjoy the recipe, Vaishali! 🙂
This looks perfect for the Spring season! Gonna try that out this week, lovely!
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Wonderful! I hope you love the recipe, Marie-Pierre!
What an interesting way to use asparagus. Love the use of pesto sauce. I can only imagine the flavor profile of the dish. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
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Yes, it’s a bit different, but so tasty! I appreciate you stopping by, Kevin.
What a nice healthy recipe!
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Yes! I love this recipe, Eva. I think you would too. 😊
YUM. Love, love, love these ingredients. Need to make this soon! 🙂
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I hope you enjoy the recipe, Laurie! ☺️
This looks amazing! Love that it takes less than an hour to male!
I’m so glad you think so, Tyler! I hope you enjoy the recipe if you decide to try it. 😊