With over 3.5 Million views on Instagram and counting, toddler moms and lazy girls alike are going crazy over this easy, flavorful, veggie-loaded weeknight dinner. The sauce comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta, so it is a go-to weeknight meal for us.
I often make it just to have around for an easy snack or meal to feed my toddler, Ruthie.
Even though it can be a toddler meal, it doesn’t have to. You’ll be shocked at how good frozen sweet peas taste when paired with lemon and pecorino romano.
Peas n Cheese
A 20 minute weeknight meal that uses simple ingredients and includes all your food groups – and toddler approved!
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 3-4 oz fresh spinach
- 1.5 cup frozen or fresh peas
- 2 small cloves of garlic or 1 large
- 1 cup freshly finely grated pecorino romano
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 T unsalted butter I am using @kerrygoldUSA
- Plenty of salt
- 1 pack of pasta
Instructions
- For fastest preparation, as shown:
- Get two pots of boiling water going on the stove. Once they are boiling, salt each heavily. To one, add your pasta.
- Get a large bowl of ice water ready. To the second pot, blanch your spinach (30 seconds), and then transfer to your ice bath. Remove spinach and squeeze out excess water. Repeat with peas.
- In a blender, combine blanched spinach and peas, lemon zest and juice, garlic, cheese, a pinch of salt, and a bit of pasta water.
- Once pasta is al dente, drain and reserve pasta water.
- In the same pot, add butter, blended sauce, pasta, and a bit more pasta water. Gently stir until evenly coated.
- Serve as-is or with burrata to be a little extra! If adding burrata, add more salt and pepper
Notes
For lower waste preparation, which I try to do when I am in less of a hurry (it really doesn’t add that much time, I just wasn’t thinking when I made it):
Use one pot to blanch the spinach and peas, then cook the pasta directly into that same water while you get the sauce together. Follow the rest of the steps the same.
Use one pot to blanch the spinach and peas, then cook the pasta directly into that same water while you get the sauce together. Follow the rest of the steps the same.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I came across this recipe as a random Instagram reel (finally, the algorithm worked in my favor) and I could not love it more. Everyone in the family loved it, including the Mac-and-cheese purist toddlers. The burrata on top is just perfection!
I’ve made this dish for my family three times already because we all love it so much. I have two young boys who I am constantly trying to get to eat their vegetables. This is by far the easiest and tasty recipe I have found that makes eating veggies not only barrable but down-right delicious. I could not recommend more!
This recipe is now one of approximately three in the world that I can prepare:
1. in the time specified
2. that all three of my children will eat graciously
3. AND the grownups love also!
Unequivocal recommend
Was super sceptical to like this myself and my toddler hates peas but during my 2nd pregnancy I’ve slacked giving her a ton of veggies. I saved this and finally made it tonight. Wow! So much flavor!!! We didn’t have spinach but I will 100% but trying this again. We saved all the leftovers. And even though I’m everting most foods right now this tasted amazing. Worth saving to make on repeat.
I did cook my pasta noodles in the Bonafide Chicken Stock to add more nutrients and flavor and added that into the blended sauce instead of plain pasta water. Was super yummy!
Make it!