Pea Pesto is a versatile spread that is packed with flavor from peas, parsley, lemon, spinach, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese. With its bright green color and rich flavor, you'll want to add it to all sorts of dishes! Pea pesto makes a delicious pasta sauce, spread for spring tartines, dip for flatbread, sauce for grilled beef or lamb, and more. This recipe is also flexible, you can swap out the nuts or greens to make it your own!
Having a bag of frozen peas stashed away in your freezer is a little insurance policy. Toss them in fried rice or add them to a creamy lemon pasta and you're in business, dinner-wise. My favorite application of frozen peas, however, is this pea pesto.
Pesto spreads can bring concentrated flavor to all kinds of dishes. Try this Thai basil pesto or this Pesto Chicken Spaghetti next!
Jump to:
Ingredients
I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Frozen Peas - Frozen peas are easy to have on hand so you can make this pesto any time! If you are using fresh peas, you'll want to blanch them in a pot of boiling water for a minute or so and then transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain them well and add them to the recipe.
- Parsley - Use either Italian or curly parsley in this recipe.
- Garlic - The garlic isn't cooked in this recipe, so 2 cloves is a good amount to prevent overpowering the other flavors.
- Lemon - Use a fresh lemon and zest it before juicing so that you can get the flavorful oils as well as the acidity from the juice. You'll want two tablespoons of juice and one teaspoon of zest for the pea pesto.
- Olive Oil - Use an oil that you'd normally like for salad dressings here, nothing too strong in flavor.
- Spinach - Tender spinach blends right up into the pesto and provides some extra bulk and bright color.
- Walnuts - Toast your walnuts before adding them to the pesto for extra flavor. We love the slightly bitter flavor and buttery texture they add to the spread.
- Parmesan Cheese - Parmesan adds big flavor with salty, umami notes. Use grated or shredded Parmesan in the pesto. Omit the Parmesan for a vegan or vegetarian version.
Instructions
Thaw the frozen peas by covering them with water and microwaving them for 2-3 minutes.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are fragrant and you start to see them take on a bit of color. Shake the pan constantly so that the nuts don't burn. Zest and juice the lemon for 2 tablespoons of juice and one teaspoon of zest. Peel the garlic cloves.
Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor.
Process the pesto for 10-15 seconds. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl and then process for an additional 10-15 seconds until you have your desired texture.
Substitutions and Variations
The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!
- Change the Nuts - Use pine nuts, cashews, or pistachios in place of the walnuts for a different flavor profile. Toast any nuts you use before adding them to the pesto for deeper flavor.
- Make It Spicy - Add half of a jalapeño to the pesto mixture for a bright, spicy flavor. This is especially good when you are serving the pea pesto as a dip. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes to the mixture for a more subtle heat.
- Add More Herbs - Toss in some basil, thyme, mint, or oregano leaves in addition to the parsley for extra flavor.
- Change the Greens - Use arugula or kale in place of the spinach.
Equipment
Here are notes on the tools that make this pea pesto a snap to put together:
- Food Processor - The pesto is best prepared in a food processor. A 9-cup capacity bowl will be sufficient for the volume of ingredients.
- Citrus Reamer - I find pressed glass reamers with a dish to catch the juice and a spout for easy pouring at the thrift store all the time. They make quick work of juicing the lemon.
- Microplane Zester - These long wand-style graters zest citrus perfectly but don't cut so deeply that you end up with bitter citrus pith. They are also handy for Parmesan cheese, chocolate, or stale bread for fine breadcrumbs. The small holes of a box grater will also work, just take care to only grate the yellow part of the lemons.
Serving Suggestions
Pea pesto is handy for making quick meals for lunch or dinner or for easy appetizers. Check out some of the delicious ways to enjoy it below.
Add some additional lemon juice to loosen up the spread and this pea pesto dip is great for dipping flatbreads, baguette slices, or crackers.
Toss pea pesto with linguine or other pasta and a splash of pasta cooking water to help thin the sauce. Serve the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil and dusting of Parmesan cheese.
Spread pea pesto over toasted sourdough and top your tartine with burrata, chopped herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil for a deluxe lunch.
Make This Recipe Kid-Friendly
This recipe is kid-friendly from the start. If you have a kid that loves a good dip situation, this pea pesto is a great way to add an extra serving of vegetables to their snack or dinner. Serve it on a snack platter with plenty of familiar foods like crackers, fruit, cheese cubes, and veggie sticks for an easy meal.
Check out my post on Keeping Peace with Picky Eaters for more dinnertime tips for feeding kids.
Storage
Keep the pea pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will get thicker once chilled, so you may need to add a splash of water or lemon juice to loosen it up. You can also freeze pesto for later use by wrapping it in a double layer of plastic and forming a log. Twist both ends to close it up and you can store the pea pesto for 3 months.
FAQ
Peas have traditionally been paired with mint and parsley to balance out their sweetness, but they work well with basil, oregano, and thyme as well.
Yes you can! Pea pesto freezes very well when wrapped tightly in two layers of plastic wrap. You can thaw the pesto by placing it in the refrigerator overnight before you use it in pea pesto pasta, as a dip or spread, or pairing it with grilled meats.
We almost always make the pea pesto with frozen peas, but you can absolutely use fresh peas. Blanch fresh peas in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then plunge the peas into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain them well and proceed with the recipe below.
More Peas, Please!
While this pea pesto puts peas in the spotlight, peas are great additions to a lot of tasty recipes. Try any of these delicious ideas:
Pasta Recipes
Pasta is always in our dinner rotation! Here are some great options if you are looking to shake up your spaghetti night routine:
Try It and Share
I hope you try this Pea Pesto and enjoy the recipe as much as I do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
This post was updated in August of 2025 to refine the recipe card, streamline the preparation steps, and provide much more prep detail along with photos, but the recipe has not changed since its original version from April of 2020.
Recipe
Pea Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups peas (frozen)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup parsley (packed, stems and leaves)
- 1 medium lemon (zest and juice)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 cup spinach leaves (packed)
- ½ cup walnuts (2 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (ground)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated or shredded)
Instructions
- Thaw the peas by adding them to a bowl, covering them with water, and microwaving for 2-3 minutes.
- Zest the lemon to yield one teaspoon of zest. Juice the lemon to yield 2 tablespoons of juice.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are fragrant and take on a bit of color.
- Peel the garlic cloves.
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Process for 10-15 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the processor bowl. Process 10-15 seconds more until you have the desired texture. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Kevin says
Love it!! I’ve been thinking of new ways to make pesto since basil goes off in about a day in our fridge. I tried one with arugula the other day. Was good, but will definitely try this. Do you think cashews can be used ?
cassieelane says
I'm sure they can. I bet they'll make a creamier version if you do a soak in water before adding them to the mix.
Linda Buckland says
Very good and versatile. Used basil and parsley, and walnuts. And less oil. Lovely pasta sauce when thinned down with extra cheese on the side. And made scrummy sandwiches for lunch the next day. Good to find a new meatless sandwich filling.
cassieelane says
So glad to hear you made it your own way! Thanks for trying it.