Quick Recipe: Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spinach & Peas

published Oct 11, 2011
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(Image credit: Stephanie Barlow)

This light creamy pasta comes together in fewer than 15 minutes and you’ll be amazed at its flavor. Bright lemon combines with deep garlic and a hint of heat to transform spinach, peas, and, of course, pasta.

(Image credit: Stephanie Barlow)

The key in this dish lies in simmering cream with garlic and red pepper flakes. It infuses the cream with deep flavor which cooks into the spinach as well. And what could be easier than throwing in a few frozen peas to add a little something extra?

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

The resulting dish has just enough cream to envelop the pasta without weighing it down. Choose a pasta that’s easy to eat with hunks of spinach and tiny peas, like farfalle or cavatappi.

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Spinach and Peas

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 cup

    frozen peas

  • 3/4 cup

    cream

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    red pepper flakes

  • 2

    garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  • 4 cups

    baby spinach, stems removed

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    grated lemon zest

  • 3 teaspoons

    lemon juice

  • 1 pound

    dried pasta, such as farfalle or casarecce, cooked

  • Freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

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  1. Simmer peas, cream, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a skillet over low heat for 5 minutes, covered. Add spinach and cook until wilted, uncovered, stirring as necessary. Remove from heat and add lemon zest and juice. Toss with cooked pasta. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

(Images: Stephanie Barlow)