This simple shallot, sugar snap peas, goat cheese pasta dish one to keep in heavy rotation especially now that spring is here!
A few years ago, I was looking for a dish to make with the sugar snap peas that we had growing in the garden (side note: sugar snap peas are a super easy veggie to grow if you are looking to try your hand at gardening).
I wanted something simpler and seasonal.
I stumbled across a recipe that was similar to this one on How Sweet Eats, but it included spinach and browned butter. My kids aren't so into spinach, and I like to keep my browned butter for my baked goods!
Now, I know not everyone loves goat cheese. However, in this dish the tang of the goat cheese along with the sweetness of the caramelized shallots and blistered sugar snap peas really work together. You should give it at try! Together, these ingredients feel like spring to me.
Best of all, the dish feels light, even though it's filling.
We typically eat this as a one bowl meal, however you can easily turn it into a side dish and serve it with a protein straight off the grill (I would do fish something like a white fish, tilapia, snapper simply seasoned with lemon and herbs).
One more thing to love about this recipe...
It's great the next day as leftovers cold or reheated. The snap peas stay crunchy and the rest of the flavors marinate together well. I squeeze a lemon of the top and couldn't be happier.
Since you know I love simple, especially when the weather gets nice and everyone wants to be outside, this recipe can be done in less than 30 minutes. Go ahead, I dare you 🙂
Tips and Tricks:
- Start the water boiling when you put the snap peas in the pan, that way things can move along quickly
- Get your ingredients ready for this recipe before you start cooking, it really does make everything simpler.
Looking for other simple pasta dishes? Check these out:
📖 Recipe
Simple Shallot, Sugar Snap Pea, Goat Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz of pasta any shape will do, but we like shells and bowties
- 3 TB olive oil divided
- 2 shallots sliced thin
- ¼ teaspoon of salt or more to taste
- 12 oz sugar snap peas
- 3 TB butter
- 2 cubes frozen garlic or 2 cloves finely minced
- 5 oz goat cheese
- Lemon optional
Instructions
- Fill a pot with water for the pasta and set it to boil on the stove
- In the meantime, add 1 TB olive oil to a large nonstick pan and set on medium high heat.
- Once hot, add the sugar snap peas and let cook until the sugar snap peas become blistered (a bit charred) on one side. Put them on a plate to rest.
- In the same pan, add 2 TB olive oil and reduce heat to medium low.
- Add the sliced shallots and salt, stir for a minute.
- Cover the shallots and let them cook, stirring every few minutes so they don’t stick or burn.
- Once the shallots start caramelizing, add the pasta to the already boiling water
- Add the garlic and butter into the pan with the shallots and let cook for a minute.
- Add the blistered sugar snap peas to the same pan
- When the pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then add the cook pasta into the pan with other ingredients and stir them together.
- Crumble the goat cheese over the pasta and add a bit of pasta cooking liquid to the pan to create a sauce (you decide how saucy you want it).
- Taste then season with salt as needed.
- I like to squeeze a bit of lemon of the top of mine, but it’s totally optional. For a little extra heat, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Want to make these now? Are you missing some ingredients? Amazon Now can get them to you in a few hours, Instacart can get them to you today. Or add them to your Peapod grocery list and don't be stuck with out them again!
Marni Katz says
The tang from the goat cheese is great. I love making it with the optional lemon.