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This bright pea pasta blends springtime freshness with luxurious truffle oil, making a flexible dish that's great hot for dinner or cool as a pasta salad. The vivid green peas stand out against the pasta while mint and lemon bring a cool twist that turns this basic meal into something truly remarkable.
I stumbled on this dish in early spring when the first peas showed up at our local farmers market. What started as a quick way to highlight fresh peas has now turned into our family's go-to celebration meal whenever pea season rolls around.
Ingredients
- Pasta: The foundation of our dish, pick any medium-sized shape that grabs the sauce well
- Fresh peas: They bring natural sweetness and pop of color that makes this dish pop, but frozen will work too
- Scallions: They add gentle onion flavor without taking over the subtle pea taste
- Shallot: Brings a fancy flavor depth you can't get from regular onions
- Fresh mint: The key to getting that amazing springtime taste
- Italian parsley: Adds freshness and cuts through the rich truffle oil
- Olive oil: Forms the foundation of our light coating sauce
- Lemons: We'll use both skin and juice for tang and brightness
- Pea shoots, baby spinach or arugula: Give extra crunch and boost the green flavors
- Truffle oil: Our magic touch that turns this dish from tasty to mind-blowing
- Optional goat cheese: Brings a smooth, tangy kick if you want it
Simple Cooking Steps
- Get Your Pasta Ready:
- Cook pasta in plenty of salty water until it's just firm to the bite. The salt isn't just for taste - it actually gets inside the pasta while cooking. Keep an eye on it to catch that sweet spot where it's cooked but still a tiny bit chewy.
- Toss In Those Peas:
- When there's just 60 seconds left on your pasta, throw in the fresh peas. This quick dip keeps them super green and slightly crunchy. You want them bright and popping, not mushy, to contrast nicely with the pasta.
- Chop Everything Up:
- While your pasta bubbles away, slice your scallions into thin pieces. Chop that shallot super fine so it spreads through the whole dish. Roughly cut up your herbs to let their smell out and make pretty green flecks in the finished pasta.
- Mix The Hot Stuff:
- Right after draining, mix the hot pasta and peas with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. The warm pasta soaks up all these flavors and will lightly wilt your greens later. The heat also helps release all the good smells from what you'll add next.
- Add The Fresh Stuff:
- Mix in your pea shoots or other greens plus your prepped scallions, shallot, herbs and lemon zest. Stir everything really well. The leftover heat just softens the greens a bit without cooking them completely, keeping that fresh crunch.
- Check The Taste:
- Give it a quick taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Remember pasta absorbs salt as it sits, so what's perfect now might need more salt in a few minutes. Be extra generous if you'll serve this cold, since chilling dulls flavors.
- Top With Truffle Oil:
- Just before serving, add a light drizzle of truffle oil over everything. Go easy because this stuff is strong! This final touch changes the pasta from really good to absolutely amazing with its rich, fancy smell.
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Mixing mint with truffle oil might sound weird at first, but trust me, it creates this amazing flavor that wows everyone who tries it. My Italian grandma didn't think truffle belonged in a spring pasta dish until she took one bite. Then she immediately asked me to write down the directions for her family cookbook.
Choosing The Best Peas
For knockout flavor, try to find fresh English peas during springtime. Their sweetness and soft bite can't be beaten by anything from the freezer section. At farmers markets, look for plump, medium pods that feel heavier than they look - that means they're packed with juicy peas inside. Don't shell them until right before cooking since their natural sugars start changing to starch once they're picked.
Serving Suggestions
For a fancy dinner with friends, serve this pasta warm alongside a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and a simple green salad. The wine's tanginess works perfectly with the lemon and balances the rich truffle oil. When you want to serve it as a cold pasta salad at summer cookouts, add some grilled chicken or salmon to make it a full meal. This pasta also sits perfectly next to roasted lamb for Easter or spring celebrations.
Storage Tips
You can keep this pasta in your fridge for up to three days, which makes it great for planning ahead. If you're storing it, save some extra olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs to wake it up before serving since the pasta soaks up most of the dressing while sitting. For the cold version, it actually tastes better after chilling for a few hours as all the flavors mix together. Just don't forget to taste it again before serving - you might need to add more lemon juice or salt to brighten it back up.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → What do I use for gluten-free pasta?
Just swap in a gluten-free option you like, then cook everything the same way.
- → Can I add a protein to this?
Sure! Try grilled shrimp, some chicken, or crispy tofu for extra flavor and texture.
- → What if I’m out of truffle oil?
A good olive oil will do just fine, or you can leave it out entirely—it’ll still taste great!
- → Can I prep this in advance?
Yep! Chill the pasta and peas in icy water so they don’t get mushy, then store separately. Mix everything later with oil and lemon when you're ready to eat.
- → How do I store the leftovers?
Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Add a little lemon or seasoning before serving again.