Spring Pea pasta

Close up of bowl of pasta with garnishes on the side

Course: Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 565kcal

Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

My spring pea pasta features homemade pea shoot pesto, crispy roasted oyster mushrooms, and toasted pistachios. Vegan, 40 minutes, and worth every bite.

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Equipment

Food Processor
Large sheet pan

Ingredients

For the roasted oyster mushrooms:

8 oz oyster mushrooms separated into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the roasted shallots:

1 medium shallot thinly sliced into rings
1 teaspoon avocado oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the pea shoot pesto:

3 cups pea shoots
¾ cup pistachios toasted
3 cloves garlic peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons avocado oil

For the pasta:

8 oz pappardelle or other wide pasta

For garnish:

2 tablespoons pistachios toasted and roughly chopped
¼ cup pea shoots

Instructions

Roast the mushrooms and shallots:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Rinse the oyster mushrooms quickly under running water and dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel — squeeze gently to remove excess water.
Toss the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread on the sheet pan.
Toss the shallot slices with 1 teaspoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add to a corner of the sheet pan, keeping separate from mushrooms.
Roast for 5-8 minutes, checking shallots at 5 minutes. Remove shallots when browned around the edges. Continue roasting mushrooms for another 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy at the edges, about 25 minutes total.

Make the pesto:

While mushrooms roast, add the pea shoots, ¾ cup pistachios, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the 3 tablespoons avocado oil until the pesto is emulsified and smooth. Scrape down sides as needed.

Cook the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.

Assemble:

Toss the hot pasta with the pesto, adding pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen if needed.
Divide among bowls and top with roasted mushrooms, crispy shallots, chopped pistachios, and fresh pea shoots. Serve immediately.

Notes

Dry the mushrooms thoroughly — excess water prevents browning and causes steaming instead of roasting.
Keep shallots separate in the pan so you can remove them when done without picking through mushrooms.
Reserve pasta water before draining — the starch helps the pesto coat the pasta evenly. This is a lighter pasta; serve alongside grilled tofu or white beans for a higher-protein meal.
If using an air fryer, roast the mushrooms at 360°F for about 20 minutes. Air fry the shallots for 5–7 minutes, removing them once lightly browned.

Nutrition