Spring Pasta Lemon Cream Peas (Printable)

Linguine with lemon cream sauce, peas, spinach, and Parmesan. Fresh, easy, and ideal for spring.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz linguine or fettuccine

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
03 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped

→ Lemon Cream Sauce

05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Extra grated Parmesan
13 - Freshly ground black pepper
14 - Lemon zest

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine or fettuccine until al dente following package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet, melt unsalted butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, ensuring the garlic becomes aromatic without browning.
03 - Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
04 - Add green peas to the cream sauce. For fresh peas, simmer 2–3 minutes; for frozen peas, simmer 1–2 minutes, until just tender.
05 - Reduce skillet heat to low. Add drained pasta, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, and chopped chives. Toss to coat evenly, gradually adding reserved pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve promptly, garnishing plates with extra Parmesan, lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The lemon cream is so light and zesty, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for heavier sauces.
  • It’s easy enough to whip up midweek, but special enough for company.
02 -
  • If you skip reserving pasta water, your sauce might turn out thick or clumpy — always hold back a splash before draining.
  • I discovered freshly grated Parmesan melts much better than pre-shredded, saving the dish from grainy texture.
03 -
  • Let the pasta rest a minute after tossing so the sauce settles before serving.
  • Adding the greens at the very end keeps them vibrant and prevents them from shrinking away.
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