Artichoke Pasta with Peas and Potatoes

Bowl of pasta with artichokes, peas and potatoes topped with fresh parsley.

Artichoke Pasta with Peas and Potatoes

Artichoke pasta with peas and potatoes, a quick and easy vegetarian pasta dish for Spring, the perfect time of year for enjoying fresh artichokes!

Course Main dish,

Cuisine Sicilian-Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 670kcal

Author Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

6 small artichokes
1 lemon
4 tbsp. olive oil divided
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic
pinch red pepper flakes optional
1 cup frozen peas
1 large potato peeled and cut into small cubes
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
300 grams rigatoni or pasta of your choice
4 tbsp. grated Parmigiano cheese plus extra for serving
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Clean the artichokes

Fill a bowl with water, squeeze half a lemon in the water and drop the lemon half in the water.
Begin by cleaning the artichokes: with a serrated knife, trim off approximately the top third of the artichoke. Remove the tough, outer leaves of the artichoke until you reach the pale green leaves.
Use a pairing knife to trim the tougher outer layer of the stem. Cut the artichoke in half and use the pairing knife to remove the fuzzy choke in the center.
Cut the artichokes halves into half once again and place them in the lemon water while you continue with the remaining artichokes.

Prepare the artichoke pasta

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil while you prepare the sauce.
Peel and cut the potato into small cubes.
Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired.
Drain the prepared artichokes and add to the pan along with the peas and cubed potatoes. Stir all ingredients together and add salt and pepper, to taste.
Pour 2 cups of water over the vegetables, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, uncover the vegetables and continue cooking (in order to allow some of the water to evaporate and thicken the sauce). Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Meanwhile, boil your pasta and cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than suggested on the package. Drain the pasta and stir into the vegetables.
Stir and cook until the pasta reaches the desired level of doneness, a minute or two. If needed add a ladle of pasta water.
Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese, freshly chopped parsley and top with drizzle of olive oil.
Serve immediately with extra grated cheese at the table.

Notes

Possible add-ins: A teaspoon of grated lemon zest stirred in at the end of cooking (step #10) will add fresh flavor to this dish.

If your artichokes are tough: This probably means you need to remove an extra layer or two of artichoke leaves. The darker green leaves are quite tough while the inner pale green leaves are tender.

Alternative serving suggestion: The artichokes, peas and potatoes may be enjoyed without the pasta as a delicious spring side dish. Enjoy with fresh crusty bread!

Nutrition