Lemon Butter Pasta Peas (Print Version)

A vibrant, light pasta dish featuring peas, lemon-butter sauce, and Parmesan cheese in under 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz linguine or spaghetti

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Zest of 1 lemon
05 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dairy and Fats

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

→ Seasonings

09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for pasta water
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in colander.
02 - While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, avoiding browning.
03 - Stir in peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through if frozen, or until tender if fresh.
04 - Add lemon zest and juice to the skillet, stirring to combine thoroughly.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Toss to evenly coat pasta in sauce.
06 - Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. Toss until cheese melts and sauce reaches silky consistency, adding additional pasta water as needed.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Plate immediately and top with additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes but tastes like you spent way more time on it.
  • The butter and lemon create this silky sauce that coats the pasta without needing cream.
  • Bright enough for spring but hearty enough when you're actually hungry.
02 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before you drain it—I learned this the hard way by draining it straight and then watching the sauce get thick and gluey instead of silky.
  • Don't let the garlic brown or the lemon will taste like burnt regret instead of sunshine.
  • The pasta water is starchy and magical; it's what turns butter and lemon juice into an actual sauce that clings to the noodles.
03 -
  • If you want it richer, substitute 2 tablespoons of the butter with good olive oil—it adds depth without making it heavy.
  • A crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio is the only drink that makes sense alongside this, cutting through the richness perfectly.
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