Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas.

May 6, 2022

Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas.

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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. 🌾

This post includes affiliate links. When I find a product that I love and use daily, I like to share it with my readers. Sometimes I use affiliate links so I can earn commission for my recommendations. Thank you for your support! πŸ–€

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!

SautΓ© 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. πŸ‹πŸŒΏ

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. πŸ’›

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 πŸ–€

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Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas in a matte speckled stone bowl on a brown wooden surface

Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas.


  • Author: Jenna
  • 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

Units Scale

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
  • 1/2pound (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
  • 1/41/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chiffonade cut

Garnish (optional):

  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Chopped Mint + Basil
  • Pine Nuts
  • Lemon Wedge

 


Instructions

  1. 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.

    Asparagus on a wooden cutting board with the woody ends cut and displayed

  2. PREPARE THE MINTY SUGAR SNAP PEAS.Β Heat a sautΓ© 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. SautΓ© 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!

    Sugar snap peas, thinly sliced garlic, scallions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a sautΓ© pan

  3. 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!
  4. BLEND THE ASPARAGUS PESTO.Β Now that your asparagus is cooled, pulse it several times in aΒ large food processorΒ 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 theΒ large food processorΒ is running.Β Blend until silky smooth.

    overhead shot of smooth and creamy asparagus pesto in a large food processor on a brown wooden surface

     

  5. FINISHING THE ASPARAGUS PESTO PASTA WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS.Β 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!

    Asparagus Pesto Pasta with Minty Sugar Snap Peas in a matte speckled stone bowl on a brown wooden surface

  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Seasonal Spring

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