Tender pasta with lemon cream, peas, and spinach offers a fresh Italian-inspired dish in under 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 ounces linguine or fettuccine
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
03 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
→ Lemon Cream Sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Freshly ground black pepper
15 - Additional lemon zest
# How-To Steps:
01 - Fill a large pot with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil, add linguine or fettuccine, and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain pasta using a colander and set aside.
02 - Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and gently sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently until aromatic but not browned.
03 - Pour heavy cream into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Incorporate lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to combine, and cook for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Add green peas to the sauce. Simmer for 2–3 minutes if using fresh peas, or 1–2 minutes for frozen, until just tender and bright green.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Add cooked pasta, baby spinach, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh chives to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to evenly coat, gradually incorporating reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, topping each portion with extra grated Parmesan, lemon zest, and a twist of black pepper.
