Lemony Pea & Arugula Pasta (V, GF option)

Looking for a quick, light & easy meal to solve your weeknight dinner dilemma? Look no further!

This summery pasta dish is made with simple ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes, start to finish. Once the pasta is finished cooking, the other ingredients just get tossed in, and voila, diner is served! It’s that easy.

It might not look like the most exciting meal, but trust me, this pasta is so tasty. Seriously. I’ve made it three days in a row now and I’m still craving more!

What makes this pasta oh-so tasty is the combination of ingredients, each of which good on their own, but perfection when put together:

Bowtie pasta – Call me crazy, but the bowtie shape is key here. I know that all pasta should taste the same no matter what shape it’s formed in, yet, for some nonsense reason, I think that bowtie works best in this dish. It just does. Now that we’ve cleared that up…..pasta adds substance to the dish, as well as protein and iron.

Arugula – Adds a serving of good-for-you greens and tons of flavour.

Peas – Add a slight crunch, and just enough sweetness to balance the spicy/bitter flavour of the arugula.

Lemon – Makes the pasta light, tangy and refreshing.

Olive oil – Coats the pasta, and gives a little extra flavour as well as some good fats.

This pasta has very quickly become my go-to weeknight meal for those days when I just don’t have the time or energy to cook. You know those days when getting out the chopping board, the blender, and standing over a pot for an hour stirring are the absolute last things you want to be doing? Well, this pasta is my solution to those days, and I hope it solves your weeknight dinner dilemmas too!

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LEMONY PEA & ARUGULA PASTA (V, GF OPTION)

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 483 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups bowtie pasta, dry* (white, whole wheat or gluten-free)
• 2 cups arugula
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Method

1. In a medium pot, boil water and cook bowtie pasta according to package instructions.

2. While the pasta is cooking, combine the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl to make the dressing. Stir and set aside.

3. Add the frozen peas to a colander.  When the pasta is done cooking, drain the pasta over the peas, letting the hot water defrost them.  Rinse with cold running water and drain well.

4. Dump the cooked pasta and peas into a large serving bowl.  Add in the arugula and the dressing. Gently toss until everything is mixed and evenly coated in dressing.

Notes

• I wouldn't recommend substituting bowtie for another shape of pasta.  Bowtie pasta has a nice chew that goes perfectly with this dish.
• Nutritional information is approximate and will differ depending on the type of pasta you choose.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Leave a comment, share it with your friends, and don’t forget to snap a picture for Instagram and tag #plantifuleating so I can see your creations!