This is the best Pea and Asparagus Pasta I've ever made. It's so good, that I've named it my Super Spring Orzo. It's full of greens and so great when you fancy something fresh yet comforting. It comes together in less than 20 minutes, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner.
The sauce is really easy, you just blend up peas, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and some veggie or chicken stock. I love a pasta dish that comes together in one pan, and this asparagus and pea pasta is exactly that.
I'm a sucker for colourful vibrant pasta dishes, so if you are too, you would love my Pink Pasta and my Cilantro Pasta (made in only 10 minutes). Or if you're looking for a super creamy, one tray pasta, then you'll love my Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce recipe.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick: It comes together in less than 20 minutes. If you're a fan of quick pasta recipes, you'll love my Avocado Pesto that I serve with pasta, but you could serve it on toast too, if you like!
One Pan: Apart from using the blender to combine all of the sauce ingredients, you'll only need one pan to cook this pea and asparagus pasta. Another one pan pasta dish I adore is my Lemon Boursin Pasta.
Fresh: The seasonally fresh ingredients i.e. peas and asparagus, are so delicious in this dish. You've got parsley as a fresh undertone too. And with the garlic and the chilli flakes, it's a great combination that I absolutely love. One of my most viral recipes is my Feta Spring Flatbreads, and once again they're so fresh and comforting at the same time.
If you're looking for a bit of extra protein to serve alongside this dish, then I'd recommend making my chicken piccata recipe!
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the pea and parsley sauce:
Peas: I've used frozen peas for this recipe. If you don't like peas, you could boil some broccoli for a few minutes until soft and then blend that up with the rest of the ingredients.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is perfect. You could also use some wild garlic, if it's in season.
Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a lovely freshness to the dish. I wouldn't recommend using dried parsley. If you don't like parsley, you could use fresh coriander, basil, or mint.
Chilli flakes: To balance out the umami flavours, I like to add some chilli flakes. Any will do!
Stock: You can use veggie stock or chicken stock, whatever you fancy. I've just used stock cubes that I've then combined with boiling water.
For the rest of the spring pea and asparagus pasta:
Orzo pasta: Orzo is one of my favourite pasta shapes, but feel free to use any other pasta shape you like e.g. rigatoni, macaroni, penne.
Parmesan: Use a fresh block of parmesan, that is then grated by you. Pre-grated parmesan uses an anti-caking agent which, when used, can sometimes change the texture of the dish.
Asparagus: Fresh asparagus is so delicious, and pairs wonderfully with the other ingredients in this dish. If you don't like asparagus, you could use tenderstem broccoli or courgettes.
Variations
If you're here from YouTube, then make sure to check out this little section!
For the pea and spinach sauce, simply blend the following ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- 200g defrosted frozen peas
- 1 chicken stock cube (or vegetable stock cube)
- 1 garlic clove
- 10g fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 200ml water
- 100g spinach
- salt and pepper
Add the above sauce to a saucepan with 150g orzo and another 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly. Once it's been cooking for half the length of time the pasta takes to cook (around 6-7 minutes), reduce the heat and place on the lid. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the base of the pan.
Meanwhile, make your whipped ricotta by combining the following ingredients:
- 100g ricotta
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the hot honey, combine 2 tablespoon honey with ¼ teaspoon chili flakes. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Once your orzo is al dente and the sauce has thickened (and is not watery), serve up your orzo between 2 bowls, top with the ricotta and the hot honey. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or hazelnuts, and enjoy!
Step by Step Instructions with Photos
Step 1: In a blender, combine peas, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, and veggie or chicken stock. Blend until smooth, then taste and season with more chilli flakes, salt, or pepper to suit your preferences.
Step 2: Next up, pour your orzo into a frying pan, followed by a big pinch of flaky salt, your water, and the pea and parsley sauce. Place on medium-low heat and stir frequently for 6-8 minutes. Add in more water if the orzo starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Taste the orzo, and once it's al dente, begin snapping in your asparagus. Then add in your peas and give everything a good mix. Cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes, adding in some more water if the pasta is looking dry.
Step 4: When your orzo is cooked, sprinkle with lots of parmesan and serve up with some burrata for extra creaminess.
Top Tips!
- If you don't want to waste any of the asparagus, peel the bottom half of the asparagus stems (the parts that are generally quite tough) so that the outer layer is removed. This will soften them and once cooked, taste just as good as the more tender upper part.
- Keep a jug of chicken or veggie stock on the side, for when you need to add some more liquid to your orzo. This will help continue to add flavour.
- If you'd like to add some meat to this, I'd recommend roasting some chicken breasts or adding in some prawns around 4 minutes before it needs to be served.
What To Do with Leftovers
Storage: Place any leftover pea and asparagus pasta in an airtight container and into the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: If you'd like to freeze this super spring orzo, then once again, place it in an airtight container and into the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're wanting to eat it, remove from the freezer the day before and leave to defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: You'll see throughout my blog that when I suggest reheating any type of pasta dish, my best tip is to add a splash of milk or liquid into the container before reheating. It adds back that moisture, and makes the dish as good as new. Heat until piping hot in the microwave or on the stove top and enjoy!
FAQs
Absolutely, it's nearly there anyway! Make sure to use veggie stock in the pea and parsley sauce. Then, instead of using parmesan, substitute that with a plant-based alternative, or some nutritional yeast.
Yes! I'd recommend frying some chicken breasts or prawns and then adding them to the pasta with peas and asparagus.
Absolutely, simply double the ingredient quantities and you've got yourself a dish for 4!
Other related recipes you might enjoy!
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Pea and Asparagus Pasta (Super Spring Orzo)
Ingredients
For the pea and parsley sauce
- 200g defrosted peas
- 1 garlic clove
- 13g fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon flaky salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 200ml veggie or chicken stock
For the rest of the asparagus and pea pasta
- 150g orzo
- 250g asparagus
- 50g peas
- Parmesan grated
- Burrata
Instructions
- In a blender, combine peas, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, and veggie or chicken stock. Blend until smooth, then taste and season with more chilli flakes, salt, or pepper to suit your preferences.
- Next up, pour your orzo into a frying pan, followed by a big pinch of flaky salt, 300ml water, and the pea and parsley sauce. Place on medium-low heat and stir frequently for 6-8 minutes. Add in more water (or stock) if the orzo starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Taste the orzo, and once it's al dente, begin snapping in your asparagus. Then add in your peas and give everything a good mix. Cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes, adding in some more water if the pasta is looking dry.
- When your orzo is cooked and the sauce is a level of sauciness that you like, sprinkle with lots of parmesan and serve up with some burrata for extra creaminess.
Notes
- If you don't want to waste any of the asparagus, peel the bottom half of the asparagus stems (the parts that are generally quite tough) so that the outer layer is removed. This will soften them and once cooked, taste just as good as the more tender upper part.
- Keep a jug of chicken or veggie stock on the side, for when you need to add some more liquid to your orzo. This will help continue to add flavour.
- If you'd like to add some meat to this, I'd recommend roasting some chicken breasts or adding in some prawns around 4 minutes before it needs to be served.
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