Spaghetti with Pea and Basil Sauce
This Pea and Basil Pasta is a fresh and bright take on a simple pesto sauce due to the heavy hand of basil in it. Because the sauce is blended, it’s super creamy and velvety without any addition of butter or cream. Plus, this a quick and easy mid-week dinner that costs less than $2 per serving!
Table of Contents
What is in Pea and Basil Pasta?
This Pea and Basil Pasta recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients, most of which you will already have in your pantry and fridge. Those ingredients are:
- Pasta
- Frozen peas (or fresh)
- Onions
- Garlic
- Basil
- Feta Cheese
- Chicken Stock
- Milk
If you’re looking at that listing thinking, bummer I don’t have feta and basil and I can’t be bothered going out to get them, don’t worry about it! Just leave those out this time and make it another time with everything.
How Do You Make This Recipe?
This recipe is so simple to make and requires fewer steps than there are ingredients. Once you sauté the onions and garlic, you add the peas and stock and simmer until the peas are tender and the stock is almost completely evaporated. Then, transfer everything to a blender along with the feta, basil and milk, blitz everything together, fold through cooked pasta and serve!
It’s really that simple and because the sauce is made almost entirely of peas and basil, it’s an excellent way to add an extra few servings of veg into your diet without even knowing.
Step 1 - Sweat Onions and Garlic
Step 2 - Simmer Peas in Stock
Step 3 - Add Basil and Stir Until Wilted
Step 4 - Transfer to a Blender and Puree Until Smooth
Step 5 - Toss Sauce and Pasta Together in a Pan
Can I Make This Recipe Without Peas?
Well, not this recipe specifically as it’s call Pea and Basil Pasta, but you certainly could. I have a whole series of vegetable pastas which you can check out here:
How Long Does it Keep in the Fridge For?
If you have any leftovers, you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container for around 3 days. Any longer than that and the pasta will start to go very mushy and the liquid will separate out of the sauce. Of course it’ll still be edible and safe to eat, but just not as pleasant.
How Do I Reheat the Leftovers?
To reheat any leftovers you might have, you can do so by two methods; in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Microwave: Add the pasta to a microwave safe dish with a splash of milk and stir through. Pop it in the microwave and heat on high for approx. 1-2 mins. If it needs a little longer, put it back in for another 30 seconds at a time until it’s to your liking.
Stove: Add the pasta and a few tablespoons of water to a medium sized saucepan. Heat the pan over medium and cooking, stirring occasionally until the pasta is warmed through. If it’s a little bit thick or there doesn’t seem to be much sauce left coating the pasta, add a tbsp of milk and mix again.
Can I Freeze the Leftovers?
Technically you can, but you can also freeze dirt if you feel like it. In other words, I wouldn’t recommend freezing it if the pasta and sauce have already been combined. When pasta is frozen, especially when coated in a sauce, it tends to absorb any liquid surrounding it, turning it to mush when it’s thawed. It also gets horrible freezer burn and just doesn’t taste nice after freezing.
If you have remaining sauce that hasn’t been mixed with the pasta, by all means freeze that. Simply add it to an airtight container once it has cooled to room temperature and pop it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Can I Meal Prep This Pasta?
Yes you absolutely can! Simply make the sauce as far in advance as you need to and store it either in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it. Then, simply cook your pasta, reheat your sauce and mix them together.
You could also pre-cook your pasta as well if you’d like to, but if you do, just store it in a separate air tight container from the sauce.
TROUBLESHOOTING
My Sauce is Too Thin and Runny
You’ll want to make sure that the stock is virtually completely evaporated before blending, otherwise your sauce will be too thin and washed out in flavour. If you feel that there is no chance that the stock is going to completely evaporate and the peas are well and truly cooked, feel free to strain off the liquid and blend the solids.
I would recommend adding everything to the blender bar the milk at first, and then adjust with a little bit at a time until it’s the right texture. You want it slightly on the looser side at around the consistency of a pouring custard. This is because, once you add the sauce to the pan, the starches in the pasta will thicken it, plus the heat will cause some of the moisture to evaporate.
My Sauce is Gritty and Grainy
This is a result of your vegetables not being cooked enough. The peas should completely break down with a very light push with the back of spoon. If they don’t but the stock has evaporated completely from the peas, add another 1/4 cup or so and simmer for a few more minutes.
If your food processor isn’t the best and isn’t giving you a super smooth sauce, pass it through a sieve to remove and chunks or fibrous bits.
Do I Have to Use a Blender?
Not at all. You can use an immersion blender, food processor, vitamiser or a blender. For all of my purees, I use my Braun Multi Quick 9.
Spaghetti with Pea and Basil Sauce
This Pea and Basil Pasta is a fresh and bright take on a simple pesto sauce due to the heavy hand of basil in it. Because the sauce is blended, it's super creamy and velvety without any addition of heavy butter or cream.
Ingredients
- 250 g Spaghetti
- 1 Onion (diced)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 cups Frozen peas (or fresh)
- ½ cup Chicken stock (you can use vegetable stock or water)
- 1 cup Basil (packed)
- ½ cup Feta
- ¼ cup Milk
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook your spaghetti until al dente.
- In the meantime, add a tsp or so of olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add your onions and garlic along with a pinch of salt and sauté for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
- When your onions are soft, add your peas and chicken stock to the pan.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the peas are very tender and the water/stock has almost completely evaporated.
- Add your basil leaves to the pan and give it a quick stir until they have just wilted.
- Transfer everything to a blender or food processor along with the feta. Blend it all together until complete smooth.
- If it's too thick and isn't blending, add the milk and puree again.
- Taste the sauce then adjust with the sugar, salt and pepper until it's how you'd like it. The sugar shouldn't make it sweet, but instead just enhance the natural sweetness of the peas.
- If your sauce seems a little grainy still, pass it through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- When your pasta is cooked, pour your sauce into a pan over medium-high heat and stir until warm and just starting to bubble at the edges.
- Transfer your pasta with tongs straight from the pot to the sauce and toss to coat, allowing most of the water to drip away. Don't worry if you've brought over some water with your pasta, this is a good thing as the starchy liquid will help to emulsify the sauce and coat the pasta.
- Continue to toss together in the pan until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta perfectly.
- Transfer to a plate and top with some fresh basil and parmesan if you'd like and enjoy.
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Hey! I’m Montana...
Mon Mack Food is my little space to share my passion for food. It is also a place to document the recipes I’ve created while cooking for friends and family! While it is now just a hobby, my absolute dream is to build this project into something I can one day call my job 🙂
