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Vegetarian, Italy

Pasta with fava beans, peas and mint

Pasta with fava beans, peas and mint is a vegetarian Italian dish for 4 people, ready in 30 minutes, rated easy, for about €2.00 per serving. The key is to mash half the vegetables into a creamy sauce while keeping the rest whole for texture.

In spring, pasta with fava beans, peas and fresh mint, a green dish, mild and fresh.

Pasta with fava beans, peas and mint
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
780 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring

This dish carries the color of spring, a soft green between the fava beans and peas, lifted by fresh mint chopped at the last minute. The sauce comes together without cream or butter, just by mashing part of the vegetables with a fork, which gives a creamy texture that coats the short pasta well. Pecorino brings the salt and character the dish would otherwise lack.

It's the kind of weeknight dinner Mon Chou suggests when you want something easy to make but still full of flavor, using frozen vegetables that save time without losing freshness thanks to the mint. Kids who already like green vegetables might enjoy it, but the dish keeps a bold edge that mostly appeals to adults.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Short pastaoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Frozen foods

  • Shelled frozen fava beans 300 g
  • Frozen peas 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Spring onion 2
  • Fresh mint 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Grated pecorino 50 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Drop the fava beans in boiling water for a few minutes, cool them down and remove their skins. 5 min

    Press them between two fingers, the bean pops right out.

  2. Sauté the sliced spring onion in the oil, add the fava beans and peas and let them cook gently. 10 min

    Add a splash of water, the vegetables cook almost like a gentle steam.

  3. Mash half the vegetables with a fork to bind the sauce.

    Keep the other half whole for some crunch.

  4. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, saving a bit of the cooking water. 10 min

    Cook it al dente and drain right before adding it in.

  5. Toss the pasta with the vegetables, the chopped mint and the pecorino.

    Add the mint at the very last second to keep its freshness.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a well aged pecorino, its salty, sharp taste carries the whole dish since there's no other rich element besides the olive oil.
  • Always save a bit of pasta cooking water before draining, it loosens the sauce if it looks too dry once mixed.
  • Chop the mint at the last moment and not too finely, it turns dark quickly and loses its flavor if cut too far ahead.

The variations

  • Swap the pecorino for parmesan if you prefer a milder, less salty taste.
  • For a dairy free version, skip the cheese and add a little extra olive oil at the end for texture.
  • For a quicker version, use a ready made frozen mix of fava beans and peas and skip the first blanching step.

What to serve it with

  • A lemony arugula salad
  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Warm crusty bread

Storage

This dish keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well since the pasta turns mushy and the mint loses its flavor. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to bring back the softness.

Questions about this dish

Can you use fresh fava beans and peas instead of frozen?

Yes, and it's even better in season. You'll need to shell them and blanch them a bit longer than frozen ones, the rest of the recipe stays the same.

Do you really need to peel the fava beans?

It's not required but it makes the dish much more tender. After blanching, the skin comes off easily just by pressing the bean between two fingers.

Can you make the vegetable sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook and mash the vegetables the day before and keep them in the fridge. Reheat gently before adding the freshly cooked pasta and the mint.

Can you replace the mint with another herb?

Basil can replace the mint if you prefer a more classic Italian flavor. The result will be different but just as fresh.

How long does it take to make a pasta with fava beans, peas and mint?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta with fava beans, peas and mint?

About 780 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta with fava beans, peas and mint cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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