A creamy walnut and ricotta sauce, made with peas and spinach, coats tender pasta for a rich yet vibrant bite. Topped with crispy walnut breadcrumbs, it’s the perfect balance of comfort and crunch.
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup California walnuts, finely chopped
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
Kosher salt, to taste
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for topping
10 oz frozen peas
5 oz baby spinach
1 cup California walnuts
Kosher salt, to taste
1 pound (16 oz) short-cut pasta of choice, such as fusilli, rigatoni or penne
½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large garlic clove
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
While the water is coming to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chopped walnuts and panko, stirring constantly until golden and toasted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl. Add in chopped parsley, tossing to combine and set aside.
Once the water is boiling, add in frozen peas, spinach and walnuts directly into the boiling water, cooking until the peas have thawed, spinach has wilted slightly and walnuts have softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain immediately and transfer to a high-speed blender. Set the blender with the components aside.
In the same large pot, add new water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, season with kosher salt and add pasta, cooking according to the package instructions. Set aside about ½ cup of pasta water.
In the blender with your peas, spinach, and walnuts, add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, ricotta cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until completely combined and smooth. Adjust as needed with more water.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and transfer it back to the large pot. Pour in pasta sauce, tossing to combine. Adjust sauce as needed with the remaining ¼ cup of pasta water. Season to taste with salt.
Transfer to serving bowls, topping with the walnut breadcrumbs and parsley mixture. Add additional finely chopped parsley on top, if desired. Season to taste with salt and serve.
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