Fresh, bright, and so easy to make, this Pea Pesto is spring in a bowl. It’s sweet from the peas, peppery from the arugula, fresh from the mint, and rounded out with toasted almonds, lemon, Parmesan, and olive oil. Toss it with pasta for an easy meal, slather it on crostini, add it to a cheese board, or fold it into a salad dressing.
I love making pesto and have a few other recipes you can try, including my Arugula Pesto, Pistachio Pesto, Walnut Basil Pesto and Sicilian Pesto (tomato base).
Pea Pesto: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
13 mins
Servings
1 cup (6 servings)
Calories*
211 kcal (Pesto alone)
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Peas, arugula, mint, almonds, olive oil, lemon, parmesan, and garlic.
Technique
Preparing a pesto using a food processor.
*Calories are estimated
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make: Everything comes together quickly in a food processor.
- Not just for Pasta. It pairs well with pasta, of course, but also with roasted vegetables, grilled chicken or fish, sandwiches, and simple crostini.
- Tested and works: Groceries can be expensive! All my Preservation Recipes are tested by me, my team or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
You will need a selection of pantry and fridge ingredients. This recipe is also very adaptable, so feel free to play around. Here is what you will need:
- Green Peas: Wouldn’t be a pea pesto without peas. I like to use fresh peas when they are in season. But frozen peas work well if you want to make this year-round.
- Arugula: I like bulking up this pesto with baby arugula. It’s peppery and balances the sweeter notes from the peas and mint. But feel free to use another green like spinach. Also, try my Arugula Pesto with Almonds recipe too.
- Almonds: Toasted almonds add nuttiness and body. You can swap them for walnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds or cashews.
- Mint: Basil is used in traditional Genovese pesto (and in my Walnut Basil Pesto and Sicilian Pesto). But keeping this pesto spring-themed means using spring flavors, and I think fresh mint leaves work really nicely.
- Lemon: You will need both lemon zest and juice. Lemon is not traditional in pesto, but I like using it for 2 reasons: it helps balance the pepperiness from the arugula and the richness from the olive oil and parmesan. It also helps preserve the pesto’s bright green color and reduces the chance of oxidation.
- Parmesan Cheese: I like to use Parmigiano-Reggiano. It adds saltiness and richness. I do prefer to grate it myself before adding it to the blender, but you can also use pre-grated. I don’t recommend using shelf-stable Parmesan in the can! Pecorino can work too for a sharper finish. Or if you want to keep the recipe vegan, use some nutritional yeast.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Pea Pesto Recipe
Step 1. Toast your Almonds (Optional). If you are using untoasted almonds, toast them in a 300F oven for 10 minutes.
Step 2. Prepare the peas. Blanch fresh or thawed peas in salted water for 2–3 minutes, then cool and pat dry with a paper towel.
Step 3. Blend the Base. Add the peas, arugula, mint, almonds, garlic clove, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
Step 4. Emulsify. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth but still has a little texture.
Step 5. Finish. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, or olive oil as needed.
Step 6. Store or Serve. At this point, you can store your pesto in a glass jar in the fridge. Or toss with short pasta and finish with freshly grated Parmesan and a little extra lemon zest before serving.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This pea pesto is especially good with short pasta because all those ridges and curves catch the sauce so well (think rigatoni, cavatelli or even gnocchi). I like finishing the bowl with extra Parmesan, more lemon zest, pea shoots and dollops of ricotta.
A few other ways to use this homemade pesto:
- Enjoy it with toasted bread. Slather it on my Homemade No-Knead Focaccia Recipe or No-Knead Whole Wheat Loaf. Or as a sandwich or wrap spread.
- Use it in my Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Layer it over the toasted bread in my Burrata Bruschetta, Eggplant Bruschetta or Goat Cheese Bruschetta before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Don’t over-blend. A little texture is lovely here.
- Toast the almonds. This deepens their flavor and makes the pesto taste richer.
- Balance at the end. Taste before serving. More lemon makes it brighter, more Parmesan makes it saltier and richer, and more olive oil loosens the texture.
- Save pasta water. When tossing with pasta, add a splash of starchy pasta water to help the pesto coat every piece.
- Go with the seasons. I love making different kinds of pesto depending on the season and what’s available, and this recipe is perfect if you grow your own mint. For more Spring flavor, try my Ramp Pesto (Wild Leek) and Garlic Scape Pesto, too, if you have access to these seasonal ingredients.
Pea Pesto Recipe FAQs
Yes. Make it up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s a great prep-ahead sauce for pasta nights, sandwiches, or grain bowls.
Store it in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top to help preserve the color. I prefer glass over plastic as plastic Tupperware may stain.
Yes. Freeze it in small containers or ice cube trays. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before using.
Yes. Use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead of almonds, or leave the nuts out entirely.
Yes. For a dairy-free version, skip the Parmesan or use nutritional yeast for a savory flavor.
Other Pesto Recipes
Condiments
Condiments
Preservation
Preservation
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Pea Pesto (with Mint and Arugula)
Equipment
- Small food processor – Affiliate link
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Toasted almonds
- 1 cup Fresh or thawed peas
- 1 cup Arugula
- ¼ cup Fresh mint leaves
- 1 Garlic clove
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice – From 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest – From 1 lemon
- ½ cup Grated parmesan
- ⅓-½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- Chili flakes – Optional
Instructions
- Toast your Almonds (Optional). If you are using untoasted almonds, toast them in a 300F oven for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the peas. Blanch fresh or thawed peas in salted water for 2–3 minutes, then cool and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Blend the Base. Add the peas, arugula, mint, almonds, garlic clove, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Emulsify. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth but still has a little texture.
- Finish. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt, or olive oil as needed.
- Store or Serve. At this point, you can store your pesto in a glass jar in the fridge. Or toss with short pasta and finish with freshly grated Parmesan and a little extra lemon zest before serving.
Notes
- Green Peas: Wouldn’t be a pea pesto without peas. I like to use fresh peas when they are in season. But frozen peas work well if you want to make this year-round.
- Arugula: I like bulking up this pesto with baby arugula. It’s peppery and balances the sweeter notes from the peas and mint. But feel free to use another green like spinach.
- Almonds: Toasted almonds add nuttiness and body. You can swap them for walnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds or cashews.
- Mint: Basil is used in traditional Genovese pesto. But keeping this pesto spring-themed means using spring flavors, and I think fresh mint leaves work really nicely.
- Lemon: You will need both lemon zest and juice. Lemon is not traditional in pesto, but I like using it for 2 reasons: it helps balance the pepperiness from the arugula and the richness from the olive oil and parmesan. It also helps preserve the pesto’s bright green color and reduces the chance of oxidation.
- Parmesan Cheese: I like to use Parmigiano-Reggiano. It adds saltiness and richness. I do prefer to grate it myself before adding it to the blender, but you can also use pre-grated. I don’t recommend using shelf-stable Parmesan in the can! Pecorino can work too for a sharper finish. Or if you want to keep the recipe vegan, use some nutritional yeast.
- You can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It’s a great prep-ahead sauce for pasta nights, sandwiches, or grain bowls. It should last in the fridge for 5 days.
- Store the pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I prefer glass over plastic as plastic Tupperware may stain. A thin layer of olive oil on top can help protect the surface from oxidation.
- Pea pesto freezes very well. You can freeze it for up to 3 months for the best quality, but I have used 6-month-old frozen pesto just fine. Portioning it into small containers or cubes makes it especially convenient.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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