As a New Englander, these warmer, sunnier days are feeling so good. The sun is shining into my kitchen nearly all day long, so I’m spending even more time in there developing new recipes. After the coldest and snowiest winter in a long time, I’m going all-in on spring produce and seasonal recipes. Today’s is just the beginning!
This quick + easy green pea pasta transforms simple ingredients into bright, zesty, creamy flavors. It’s not really hidden veggie, but the veggies are blended into a smooth sauce, making them more fun to eat (and more convincing to your kids? maybe? let me know!). As you could probably guess, green peas are the key ingredient—they lend the perfect green color to our sauce, taste deliciously earthy, and they’re packed with 9 grams of fiber per cup! Blending them actually breaks down the outer shells and fiber, making them easier for your body to digest.
The whole JEG team enjoyed this one for lunch this week (10/10 stars all around), and Copley kept trying to steal from our bowls (who can blame the girl), so if you need any more convincing, there ya go! I have a feeling this one will be a regular in your spring dinner rotation 🫛
Want more recipes like this to your inbox every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday? Subscribe!
📍Boston event: I’ll be joining my friend Erin O'Brien to chat about her amazing new cookbook, Dig In at Trillium Fort Point on May 13th. Grab your tickets! If you missed the DTAD stop at Trillium, I hope to meet you here—food & drink included!
A quick overview of today’s recipe before you get cooking.
Minimal ingredients: This green pea pasta uses a few simple, whole, ingredients to get the job done. You may even have everything you need already in your kitchen. That’s the best thing about spring meals—it doesn’t take much to really pack in the fresh flavor. Thanks to peas and basil the sauce turns into a gorgeous light green color, making it that much more fun to eat. Let’s walk through the process.
Soaking the cashews. If you’ve never used soaked cashews before, let me put you onto it!! Cashews are a dairy-free way to achieve a smooth but thick sauce with minimal flavor transfer (aka you don’t taste them at all!). The nuts soften when soaked, allowing them to blend beautifully with the other ingredients. 20 minutes is the minimum time to soak them. The longer they soak, the easier they blend up: Anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes is great, and if your blender doesn’t have a lot of power, soak the cashews for 35 to 45 minutes for easier blending.
💡 Goood to know: If you need a nut-free option, swap the cashews for 3/4 cup of full-fat canned coconut milk or light cream. The sauce will be a bit thinner.
Blend. Blending smoothly is key to the best green sauce. This part only takes about a minute! Once the cashews have soaked for 20+ minutes, drain them, and add to your blender or food processor along with the green stuff—peas and basil—and the broth, spices, and lemon juice and zest. If needed, add spoonfuls of broth or water to help keep things moving. The result should be a smooth but thick sauce, uniform in color.
Pasta. While the cashews soak, you’ll want to prep the rigatoni pasta. You can swap with another pasta that has ridges (like a penne) for best results.
💡 Goood to know: Swap the pasta for a roasted spaghetti squash for even more veggies and a lower carb option.
And serve. The result is a creamy sauce with the earthiness of peas and the fresh zing of basil and lemon—basically spring in a bowl. As written, today’s recipe is dairy-free, but I highly recommend a healthy dose of parm on top, or sprinkled with toasted breadcrumb to serve (or both—no rules!!). Protein options included in the recipe notes!
Today’s recipe is straight from this week’s fancy but easy dinner plan! For the rest of the recipes, grocery list, and prep day plan, upgrade to paid. If you’ve been on the fence about committing to a plan, now’s the perfect time to try it out.
Green Pea Pasta
serves 4 | prep time: 25 minutes | cook time: 10 minutes
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan
INGREDIENTS
3⁄4 cup raw cashews
boiling water
12 ounces gluten-free rigatoni
1 1⁄2 cups green peas, thawed if frozen
1 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, up to 1/2 cup additional as needed
zest of 1/2 lemon, additional for topping
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, additional for topping
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using salted cashews)
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the cashews to a glass bowl or jar and cover completely in boiling water (about 2 cups). Set aside to soak for at least 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes (refer to package instructions). Drain, rinse with cold water, and return to the pot. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Drain the water from the soaked cashews. Add the cashews to a blender or food processor along with the peas, broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, 45 to 60 seconds. If needed, add additional broth (or water) 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth.
Pour the sauce over the rigatoni and mix well to evenly coat. To serve, divide between four bowls and top with lemon zest and basil.
Store it: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months.
Reheat it: It’s best to reheat the pasta in short, 15-second increments. The goal isn’t to make the pasta steaming hot, it’s actually best mildly warm/lukewarm (trust me on this!). From refrigerated, microwave in 15-second increments until just warm, up to 2 minutes. Or, heat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth. From frozen, thaw the sauce in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight then heat according to microwave or stovetop instructions. Prepare the rigatoni for serving.
recipe notes
Reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon if using salted cashews, then add to taste.
Add a protein like roasted chicken or salmon to serve!
The cashews blend to make a creamy dairy-free sauce, but you can swap for 3/4 cup of full-fat coconut milk or light cream. The sauce will be slightly thinner.
Instead of rigatoni, swap for your pasta of choice. Something with ridges will work best to hold the sauce. Or, use spaghetti squash for more veggies and to make it lower carb.
Get more spring-inspired, veggie-packed recipes in this week’s dinner plan, including the April bonus recipe: cacio e pepe-ish spaghetti squash!!
what I’m prepping
High-Protein Cilantro-Edamame Dip: This dip is easy to put together (just 15 min!) and the color is a show-stopper. I made a batch for an early Easter we went to earlier this month. Serve it with your fave veggies or crackers. Also a welcome addition to a lunch or dinner bowl for extra protein and veggies. Get the recipe on page 125 of DTAD!
Savory Breakfast Muffins: From week 2 of the April meal prep plan. If you need an easy to grab, all-in-one breakfast, these muffins are the best. The recipe makes 24 muffins (12 servings), so utilize your freezer for extras.
what I’m loving
Cashmere sweater: I’m desperately waiting for sunny + 70s, but until then this cashmere sweater has been my go-to. I loved it for an easy, elevated option all winter, but now I’m repurposing it by throwing over my shoulders for a little extra warmth.
Supergoop Glow Screen: I’m a sunscreen-year-round girl, the glow screen from supergoop makes sunscreen fun + easy!! I’ve used it every single day for over 3 years and now pair it with the mineral powder for a glowy, low-effort look.
what I’m recommending
Gluten-free rigatoni: Finding a quality gluten-free pasta can be tricky, but Rummo’s GF rigatoni has been a favorite of mine for years. It uses brown rice and corn so the texture is so similar to regular pasta, plus it holds it’s shape and doesn’t get mushy!
The Story of Us: A new book out this week for Swifties! Olivia Levin walks us through the heartfelt story that Taylor Swift fans lived together era by era—I got an early copy and it’s such an interesting read.
Hope you all have a great Sunday, and let me know if you make today’s recipe. Don’t forget to send pics in our chat! If you’re looking for the April breakfast and lunch prep plan, head here! If you’re looking for the dinner plan archive, head here.
You could also use macadamia nuts instead of cashews.