Looking for a delicious, vegan-friendly pasta dish? Try this simple and creamy Vegan Pasta with Peas recipe. It's easy to make and perfect for a quick weeknight meal because it's ready in 30 minutes. The vegan creamy sauce is made with butter beans, pasta water, red pepper flakes, and garlic, so this dish is packed with spice and flavor. Plus, the combination of creamy pasta and fresh peas is simply irresistible!

pasta with peas served in bowls with glass of white wine on white wood background

If you're looking for a pasta dish that is delicious and easy to make, look no further than this recipe for vegan pasta with peas!

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Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions
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How to Make This Simple and Creamy Vegan Pasta With Peas Recipe
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Why I Love This Recipe

Anyone who knows me knows that I love pasta. It's one of my favorite comfort foods. I've been trying to update vegan versions of my favorite dishes recently, and this creamy pasta with the sweet flavor of peas is one of my favorites!

This vegan pasta dish with peas is the perfect comfort food for chilly spring evenings or any time of the year if you use frozen peas!
The peas add sweetness and freshness that complement the pasta, and the lemon zest and lemon juice add brightness and acidity.
This dish is straightforward to make, so it's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.

For more delicious vegan dinners, try our vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta, Gnocchi with Vegan Sausage and Sage, Vegan Mushroom Risotto with Peas, and Asparagus Mushroom Pasta.

Ingredients

These are the fresh, simple ingredients you need to make this fantastic creamy pasta with tons of flavor:

Butter beans - I used unsalted canned butter beans for convenience, but if you have fresh cooked white beans, feel free to use them! Butter beans are also known as Lima beans or gigante beans.
Shallot - this will need to be minced along with the garlic.
Fresh garlic - I used several large cloves.
Frozen peas - I used these for convenience year-round, but if you have fresh spring peas. please use them!
Fresh lemon - the lemon zest and lemon juice add acidity and brightness.
Reserved pasta water (not pictured) - for a creamy and flavorful sauce.
Dried Italian pasta - I used this conchiglie; you can use any pasta you like. I recommend a short tubular pasta to contain the sauce and the peas! If you prefer whole wheat pasta or gluten-free, feel free to use it!
Olive oil - I recommend using quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
Red chili flakes - for flavor and spice!

A complete ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

This was so easy and so good! I didn't have frozen peas so I used frozen green beans instead. I also don't have a stand blender so I blended the bean mixture using a handheld immersion blender and it worked great. Thanks for the fabulous recipe. I think it will be a regular meal in our house!

- Suzanne

Substitutions

Whole grain - Use 100% whole wheat pasta.
Gluten-free - Use any gluten-free pasta of your choice.
Butter beans - Northern beans or cannellini beans.
Pasta - use 100% whole wheat pasta if you prefer, or any other pasta of your choice.
Pine nuts - you can use walnuts or almonds instead.
Peas - use asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces. Add them to the pasta four minutes before the pasta is to be done. Or try broccoli or frozen green beans.
Shallot - chopped yellow or white onion will be fine.
Nutritional yeast - if you prefer, you can omit it.
Garlic - roasted garlic would be very good in this dish, whether you roast it yourself or use a prepared variety.
Gluten-free - use a gluten-free pasta of your choice.
Oregano - feel free to use another fresh herb such as basil or parsley.
Starchy pasta water - you can use vegetable broth if you forget to save the pasta water, but it won't have as much body. The salted starchy water adds flavor and creaminess in addition to the beans.

Variations

Here are some variations you can try:

Spicier - This recipe is spicy already, but if you want more spice, add more crushed red pepper flakes or add smoked paprika.
Deluxe - add caramelized onions or roasted garlic. Or stir in cashew cream.
Oil-free - You can saute the nuts in the saucepan until they are golden. Set them aside, and then cook the shallot and garlic in a tablespoon or two of water or veggie broth, then add the oregano, nuts, crushed red pepper, and beans.

How to Make This Simple and Creamy Vegan Pasta With Peas Recipe

It's easy to make this creamy pasta with peas. The delicious sauce is made with butter beans, garlic, shallots, pine nuts, red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast, pasta water, oregano, and olive oil.

Peas are added to the pasta near the end, along with lemon.

Cook the Pasta

Boil water. Heat a large pot of water to boil on medium heat (add 1 tablespoon kosher salt for 6 ounces of pasta). While you wait for the water to boil, cook the bean mixture below. Once the water boils vigorously, add the pasta, and occasionally stir to ensure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Cook the pasta for a couple minutes less than the package directions for pasta al dente. Before the end of cooking, reserve at least 1 ½ cups of the cooking pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside until you need it.

Cook the Bean Mixture

sauteing ingredients on saucepan to make pasta with peas

Step 1: Preheat a small non-stick saucepan over low-medium to medium heat for three minutes. Add the olive oil, shallots, garlic, and pine nuts to the small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes as the nuts develop a pale golden color.

Overhead view of sauteing ingredients until golden on saucepan.

Step 2: Add the red pepper flakes, chopped oregano, and beans and occasionally stir for three more minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed. I typically add ¼ teaspoon salt at this point.

Note: The heat used depends on your saucepan and oven range. My range runs hot, so I use low-medium heat to prevent burning the garlic and shallot.

Set aside the bean mixture to cool while you cook the pasta. Remember to save some pasta water and cook the pasta for a couple of minutes less than the package directions.

Make the Creamy Bean Sauce

Overhead view of ingredients in blender to make a creamy sauce.

Step 3: Carefully transfer ½ cup to ¾ cup salted pasta water to the blender along with the bean mixture. Add the nutritional yeast. Save the remaining pasta water for reheating leftovers.

Overhead view of ingredients blended into sauce in blender to make pasta with peas.

Step 4: Carefully blend for 30 to 60 seconds on medium speed until creamy and set aside.

Combine Pasta with Bean Sauce and Peas

Overhead view of pasta with bean sauce in saucepan to make pasta with peas.

Step 5: Place the bean sauce in a large saucepan. Add the cooked pasta along with ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Mix well to combine.

Saucepan with pasta, bean sauce, peas with spatula on white wood background.

Step 6: Bring to a gentle simmer and add peas. Stir occasionally for 5 minutes, cooking at low to low-medium heat until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest just before serving. Mix well to combine.

How to Serve

Serve the pasta in shallow bowls and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and oregano leaves which add a nice touch. Serve immediately since the sauce thickens quickly as it cools.

This pasta pairs well with this Southwest Quinoa Bowl; the kale with avocado and lemon makes a delicious, simple salad, and to make the salad even simpler, make kale with avocado, lemon, and salt and skip the other ingredients.

close view of creamy vegan pasta with peas on white plate with fork

Expert Tips

Be sure to salt the pasta water like the sea. I use ¾ to one tablespoon of kosher salt for six ounces of pasta. For a one-pound bag of pasta, I use up to two tablespoons of coarse kosher salt.
I prefer to use pink Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt for salting the food, not the pasta water.
If you have any leftover pasta water, save half a cup for reheating any leftovers.

Equipment

I like to use a nonstick shallow frypan to prevent the garlic and shallot from sticking to the pan or burning.
I don't recommend using a cast-iron pan in this case; the ingredients may burn because cast-iron pans get hot and retain their heat, making it hard to make temperature changes in short periods of time.
I love my powerful Vitamix blender for blending the bean sauce. If you don't have a blender, you can use an immersion blender instead.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 to 5 days.
I don't recommend freezing since this will affect the texture.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Comments

5 from 152 votes (142 ratings without comment)

Why I Love This Recipe

Ingredients

Substitutions

Variations