Let’s talk food. Simple, easy, and affordable food! I want to share with you my Creamy Lemon Pasta with Green Peas, a delicious pasta recipe that you can make in 20 minutes or less with just a few simple ingredients. I don’t know about you, but I always have several bags of green peas in the freezer. I find so many uses for them in recipes. They add lots of nutrition, a cheerful pop of color, and are easy on the budget.
You can use any kind of pasta you like but I prefer egg noodles, they’re so comforting and delicious! With all the corona panic, our grocery store shelves have been pretty bare, especially in the pasta section. Luckily we’ve had plenty of egg noodles in stock and they’re my favorite!
I usually buy the biggest bags of frozen peas I can find and I store them in large freezer bags. So whenever I need a small amount of peas I just scoop a little out here and there. My daughter has always been a big green pea lover, she adds them to her eggs and even eats them frozen. I love them too!
In this recipe it’s best to use thawed green peas so they’ll cook faster, but if you’re like me you might forget. No worries, just run the frozen peas a few minutes in a colander under cool water and they thaw pretty fast. You can also use canned peas as well.
Fresh lemon juice really makes this recipe sing, so you’ll need two good size lemons. I usually buy large quantities of lemons and keep them in the refrigerator so they last longer. We use them for everything from lemon water, salad dressings, cocktails, marinades, and yes, lemon bars! Lemons can be kept on the counter if you’ll be using them within a week, otherwise keep them in the refrigerator and they can last a good month, maybe more.
This recipe calls for lemon zest and juice. Be sure and zest your lemons first using a zester or a cheese grater. Then after juicing your lemons be sure to measure out the amount of juice you have before adding it to the recipe. I like using three tablespoons of juice, any more than that I find a bit overpowering. So don’t eyeball it, measure it out and adjust the taste to what you like.
As Julia Child once said, “If you’re afraid of butter use cream.” I love her to pieces… I keep heavy cream on hand at all times, it’s really versatile. However if you’re out of cream you can use butter at a reduced ratio with a little milk (not too much) and you should be good to go. Don’t forget to add a generous dose of freshly ground black pepper and a little parmesan to add even more flavor.
Creamy Lemon Pasta with Green Peas
Ingredients
- 16 oz package egg noodles
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
- 2 lemons zested
- 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice (about 1 ½ -2 lemons)
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- salt to taste
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add noodles, stir, and cook according to package directions.
- During the last 5 minutes of the pasta cooking combine cream, lemon zest, salt, and pepper into a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, add the green peas, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Drain noodles and return to the pot. Pour creamy mixture over noodles, add lemon juice, and stir to combine. Cook over low heat 1-2 minutes to absorb some of the liquid.
- Taste for seasoning, adding extra salt of fresh ground pepper if needed.
- Top with fresh parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
With the temperature starting to warm up, this light pasta dish is so fresh and satisfying. Plus it’s cheap, filling, and looks pretty! Things are stressful right now so relax, set the table pretty, and serve up this delicious lemony creamy pasta! With most or all of us trapped at home I’ll be focusing more on simple foods with minimal ingredients and small home projects that require little materials to lift our spirits. Take care!
