Pea Pesto Pasta With Seared Scallops
Updated. Originally posted 15th May 2021
This Springtime creamy pea pesto pasta with asparagus and perfectly seared scallops is the ultimate bright and fresh pasta dish. I teamed up with Metro to bring you this delicious pasta tossed in a pea pesto that’s is flavoured with a good amount of lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, ricotta and Parmesan. It results in a creamy rich pasta that’s so fresh and bright tasting. Great for weeknight cooking, date night, or any other spring & summer occasions.
I topped the pasta with tasty fresh scallops from Metro’s seafood counter. They seared up beautifully in minutes and are delicious tossed in this pea pesto pasta. The rich, sweet, buttery flavour of scallops is balanced by the bright flavors of this spring pea pesto. I only had super large scallops when I was updating this recipe with step by step photos so I sliced them in half. This pasta is also great with shrimp if you would prefer to use shrimp instead.
All About Pea Pesto
Have you tried pea pesto before? If not I think it might be time. One thing I love about pesto is you can make it with just about anything green. Making pesto with peas not only makes a protein packed pesto but it all makes a creamy one with a touch of sweetness from the peas. You can use fresh peas or frozen peas for this recipe. This pea pesto is similar to basil pesto when it comes to the basic ingredients. Fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil. For this pea pesto version I used a little less basil and topped it up with fresh baby spinach and added lemon juice and lemon zest, and some ricotta making it creamier and adding a nice slightly tangy fresh and bright flavour to it.
Key ingredients for this pea pesto pasta with scallops:
This is one delicious pasta that is quite easy to make. Don’t let the scallops intimidate you - they are as easy as searing shrimp. Here is what you will need:
- PEAS: Feel free to use fresh or frozen. If using frozen peas there is no need to thaw them.
- BASIL: Basil can be replaced with parsley or kale or even cilantro if you like the flavour of those over basil, Or you could do a blend with the basil: fresh mint basil, parsley basil or spinach basil like I did for this recipe.
- SPINACH: I like to do a blend of fresh basil and fresh spinach for my pesto - the spinach is pretty mild but allows the pesto to stay a brighter green. Feel free to substitute with basil.
- LEMON JUICE & LEMON ZEST: They add a nice bright flavor to the pesto. Feel free to add more for extra lemony flavor.
- PINE NUTS: I alway like to toast them lightly for even better flavour but most recipes call for using them as is - it’s up to you. You can replace the pine nuts with toasted almond or walnuts hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds or pistachios you like.
- RICOTTA CHEESE: It adds a nice creamy light texture and flavour to the pesto but feel free to use Greek Yogurt as a good substitute for it in this recipe.
- PARMESAN CHEESE: Freshly grated is best and if you want to replace it with another cheese here are some good suggestions: Asiago. Pecorino Romano. Grana Padano.
- OLIVE OIL: It adds richness to the pesto and helps blend all the flavours in it.
- PASTA: You can use whatever pasta you like - gluten free or regular and any shape too. Be sure to reserve some pasta water to help thin out sauce as needed in the pasta.
- SCALLOPS: You can use either fresh or frozen. I like to use sea scallops because they are a bit larger in size and sear beautifully. The scallops in the photos were smaller than the ones in the updated ones but I just sliced the larger ones in half - use what you have. Another great option for this dish is shrimp (when I don’t have scallops that is what I always use) - cook them the same way you would the scallops and season them the same way with your favorite seasoning blend.
- SPICES: I keep things simple with salt and black pepper - but I like to use old bay seasoning for the scallops too for a little extra flavor. Feel free to use whatever flavor seasoning you like or some prefer just salt and pepper for the scallops - whatever you prefer.
How To Make This Simple Pea Pesto Pasta Recipe
There are three basic simple steps to making this pasta (full instructions in recipe below):
- Blanch peas and asparagus and cook pasta.
- Make the pea pesto sauce - it’s easily made in the food processor or blender
- Sear the scallops - then toss everything together. Simple as that.
How to sear scallops for this peas pesto pasta:
- Make sure your pan is hot. Heat pan with oil using a nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
- Prep the scallops. For a good sear the scallops must be fairly dry. Make sure to use a paper towel to pat the scallops well then season generously with salt & pepper. This is especially true when using frozen and when the scallops have thawed.
- Sear the scallops. Once the oil is hot, add the scallops to the pan & cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Try not to disturb them too much while they are in the pan to ensure a good crust on each side, but you can give the pan a gentle shake if needed. Once done - toss them right into the pasta and enjoy!
If you enjoyed this Springtime pea pesto pasta dish with scallops, you will love these ones:
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed as needed
- 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (no need to thaw)
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- ½ cup ricotta cheese or plain Greek Yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup of olive oil plus 1½ tablespoons, divided
- ¾ lb of fresh scallops
- Salt and Black pepper
- Pinch of old bay seasoning (for scallops)
- 1 lb Fusiilli (cooked to al dente)
- ½ cup starchy reserved pasta water
For serving
- Extra toasted pine nuts
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Chili flakes
- Lemon wedges
Directions
Blanch Veggies
- Blanch trimmed asparagus spears and the peas in boiling water for 2-3 min until tender then drain and rinse with ice cold water and drain again.
- Remove the asparagus and chop onto 1 inch pieces. Set both aside.
Make Pea Pesto
- Pulse together the basil, spinach, reserved peas, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice until finely minced.
- Add in Parmesan, ricotta and just a touch (1-2 teaspoons) of the ¼ cup measure of olive oil and pulse until combined.
- Pour in remaining ¼ cup of olive oil while food processor is running until pesto is smooth adding more olive oil as needed
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and set aside
Cook Pasta
- Cook pasta according to package reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
- Drain pasta and place into large bowl once done.
Cook Scallops
- While pasta is cooking add remaining 1½ tablespoons of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pat the scallops dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper and old bay seasoning if using.
- Once the oil is hot, cook the scallops for 2-3 minutes, until a deep golden crust has formed. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until the scallops are opaque & cooked through.
- Transfer to plate and set aside.
Assemble Pasta
- Gently toss and stir the pasta & pesto together, adding starchy pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Gently toss in the asparagus. Transfer pasta to serving dish. Top with scallops and serve with extra Parmesan cheese red pepper flakes, lemon wedges and extra toasted pine nuts.
Recipe Notes
- Skip the scallops if you would like a vegetarian option or a simple side dish that goes with all your grilled stuff all spring and summer long.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container. The pesto itself will last up to 5 days in the fridge. The pesto pasta mixed together will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
- You can also freeze any unused pesto in a plastic bag, glass container or plastic container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and use as you normally would.
- You can make the pesto sauce up to 5 days in advance and store in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the pesto pasta.
