Easy Pasta and Peas Recipe Made With Only 3 Ingredients

This easy pasta and peas recipe with only 3 ingredients is a perfect addition to any meal plus it’s healthy and budget-friendly!

If you are like me you love an easy pasta recipe. One thing you probably don’t know about me tho is that when I was just a little girl my mother called me ‘spaghetti girl’.

It’s true.

She would say that all I would eat was pasta e piselli. Apparently not much has changed because I still love simple ingredients, fresh peas, and any type of Italian pasta either with or without red sauce.

While I do love a good red tomato sauce that you would typically find on a delicious bowl of pasta e fagioli, at times pasta without sauce is just what you need.

This easy recipe is simple enough for a budget-friendly meal or any special occasion where a pasta salad is needed.  

What I love about this recipe is that the green peas make it a light dish, and is especially good for a summer bbq or side salad. 

One of my favorite ways to serve my pea pasta is to have it accompany a main course of burgers or hot dogs, on toasted buns fresh off the grill. Add a tossed salad and a yummy dessert and call it done! Nothing says summer better than a delicious pasta salad on grilling day.

Can you cook frozen peas with pasta?

The short answer is yes, absolutely. Peas are highly nutritious and full of protein. Add that to the fact that peas are filling and contain fiber making them a healthy choice.

Allow me to back up right here for a minute! We are talking about peas and of course, I have a story!

In addition to being called ‘spaghetti girl,’ my mom was well aware that during dinner I would ‘hide’ my peas under the edge of my dish.

I would wait until she would relinquish all hope that I would eat them and she would excuse me so I was free to get up from the table, I’m pretty sure she was on to me although at the time I thought I was pretty slick.

She knew I was headed to sit next to my dad in our basement, while he worked opaquing negatives for his printing business. I loved that time with my dad.

My mother was an angel! For this and many other reasons!

Now back to the peas, please!

Adding peas to my pea and pasta salad is even better than usual in this recipe because you don’t need an extra pot to cook them prior to combining them with the pasta.

Just pop the frozen peas right into the drained cooked pasta for the best flavor.

This simple step saves time with dish cleanup afterward.

​Ingredients you will need

• Ronzoni Ring pasta
• Frozen peas
• Mayonaise
• Salt and black pepper
• Optional (Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino cheese, or diced onion)
• See below for alternative additions

How to make pasta and peas recipe

Cooking instructions:

Over medium heat bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Follow the cooking time according to the instructions on your package. I prefer ring pasta for this recipe although whole wheat pasta could easily be used.

​Slightly undercook your pasta al dente. 

Using a colander to drain pasta.

Place the drained pasta in a large mixing or serving bowl.

Add your frozen sweet peas to the cooked pasta and toss with mayonnaise.

Sprinkle salt and pepper, then add cheese to the top of the pasta for a perfect one-pot meal.

Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour prior to serving.

You can adjust the amount of pasta depending on how many people you plan to serve. I made enough for six to eight people using three cups of small pasta.

Optional: Top with pecorino romano cheese or grated parmesan cheese according to your liking.

Serve in a beautiful handmade pottery bowl and enjoy!

Shoppable links

How to store pasta and peas salad

The best way to store this perfect weeknight meal is to cover it with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to five days.

I prefer using glass containers and have switched away from any plastics. Here are a few of my favorites.

Additions and tips 

• Tip: add mayonnaise a little at a time to your liking, you can always add more. You want your pasta to be moist, not dry, but not over-covered with the mayonnaise.
• The mayonnaise is best to add while the pasta is still slightly warm – it will blend best, then pop the salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
• Tip: No need to wait to add the frozen peas, add directly to the pasta after it has been drained
• Additions: Tuna or a can of tiny canned shrimp may be added

Busy weeknights just got a whole lot easier. I guarantee your whole family is going to love this delicious pasta dish that has so much flavor.

Healthy eating any night of the week is what makes this easy pasta and peas recipe one of my family’s favorites.

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