This oven-baked spring pea pasta is the kind of weeknight recipe I lean on when I want something cozy, creamy, and hands-off. The method is wonderfully simple: you scatter frozen green peas over raw dry shell pasta in a ceramic baking dish, add just three more pantry-friendly ingredients, and let the oven do the work. It’s a practical, modern twist on baked pasta casseroles that Midwestern home cooks have been making for generations—no pot of boiling water, no separate sauce pan.
Everything bakes together into a creamy, lightly sauced dish where the peas stay sweet and bright, the shells turn tender, and the top gets just a bit golden. It’s the one-pan dinner people inevitably ask for the recipe for, because it feels special but is almost embarrassingly easy.
Baked pea shell pasta in a ceramic dish on a kitchen counter
Baked pea shell pasta in a ceramic dish on a kitchen counter
Serve this creamy spring pea pasta straight from the ceramic baking dish with a simple green salad dressed in lemon and olive oil to echo the brightness of the peas. Warm crusty bread or garlic toast is great for scooping up the sauce from the bottom of the dish. A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc pairs nicely, as does sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon.
If you’d like to add protein on the side, grilled or roasted chicken, seared salmon, or even sliced chicken sausage work well without competing with the delicate sweetness of the peas.
Oven-Baked Spring Pea Shell Pasta
Servings: 4
Ingredients
8 ounces dry medium pasta shells
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas (do not thaw)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little extra for serving
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil or softened butter for greasing the dish (optional)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a medium ceramic baking dish (about 2-quart capacity) with olive oil or butter to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Greased ceramic baking dish with pasta shells and peas ready for assembly
Greased ceramic baking dish with pasta shells and peas ready for assembly
Pour the dry pasta shells into the ceramic baking dish and spread them into an even layer. The shells should mostly cover the bottom of the dish in a single, slightly overlapping layer.
Scatter the frozen green peas evenly over the dry pasta shells. This layering helps the peas steam and stay tender while the pasta absorbs the liquid.
In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the broth, heavy cream, grated Parmesan, salt, and black pepper until the cheese is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks smooth. Taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning if needed, keeping in mind the Parmesan will add saltiness as it bakes.
Cream broth and Parmesan mixture being whisked in a glass measuring cup
Cream broth and Parmesan mixture being whisked in a glass measuring cup
Slowly pour the cream-and-broth mixture over the pasta and peas in the ceramic baking dish, making sure the liquid seeps down through the shells. Gently nudge any exposed pasta down so most of it is at least partially submerged; a few pieces peeking out are fine and will brown slightly.
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