Creamy pea pasta with a lighter pan sauce
Peas and a little cream cheese make a quick sauce that clings to short pasta. The cooking water does much of the work, so reserve it before draining. This is a flexible weeknight dish rather than an attempt to reproduce a restaurant cream sauce.
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Original recipe · serves 2
Creamy pea pasta with a lighter pan sauce
10 minPreparation15 minCooking25 minTotal
Ingredients
How to make it
- Cook pasta according to the packet, adding peas for the final 3 minutes or for the time their packet specifies. Reserve 200 ml cooking water and drain.
- Warm oil in the empty pan over low heat. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add cream cheese and 4 tbsp reserved water. Stir gently until smooth.
- Return pasta and peas to the pan. Add lemon zest and pepper, loosening with more cooking water until evenly coated. Serve hot.
Make it work in your kitchen
Cream cheese can become grainy over aggressive heat, so keep the pan low while mixing. Stir in extra water a spoonful at a time. Wholewheat pasta works too but may need a different cooking time; follow its packet rather than the timing for another shape.
Recipe note: Original AI-assisted recipe, not kitchen-tested. Timings are estimates; use the doneness and temperature checks stated. Photographs are illustrative. Check ingredient labels for allergens and read our food preparation and storage guide.
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