Lamb, Mint & Pea Orecchiette with Purple Spring Onions

Lamb, Mint & Pea Orecchiette

with Purple Spring Onions

2 Servings
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Vegetarian
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Carb Conscious
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600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
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From the Test Kitchen

Lamb and mint have gone hand in hand throughout culinary history. Here, we’re using these classic flavors to create a sauce for orechiette, a small, ear-shaped pasta from Southern Italy. You’ll finish the pasta in the sauce, soaking up the lamb’s signature richness and the peppery bite of the mint. With purple spring onions and a burst of flavor from lemon zest, this delicious dish has us smiling from ear to ear.

Get Plans
  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    700 Cals (est.)
fresh
ingredients
Lamb, Mint & Pea Orecchiette with Purple Spring Onions
Title
  • 8 oz Orecchiette Pasta
  • 6 oz English Peas
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 bunch Mint
  • 1 Lemon
  • ½ bunch Purple Spring Onions
  • 8 oz Ground Lamb
  • 2 Tbsps Butter
  • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Cook the pasta:
1 Cook the pasta:
Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the orecchiette pasta and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta thoroughly. Set aside as you continue cooking.
Prepare the ingredients:
2 Prepare the ingredients:
While the pasta cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Shell the peas. Peel and slice the garlic. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems and finely chop the leaves. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter the lemon and remove the seeds. Cut off and discard the root ends of the spring onions, then thinly slice on an angle.
Cook the aromatics:
3 Cook the aromatics:
In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
Add the lamb:
4 Add the lamb:
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the lamb, using your hands to break apart or crumble the meat into smaller pieces before adding. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
Finish the pasta:
5 Finish the pasta:
Add the lemon zest, peas, cooked pasta, butter, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, half of both the Parmesan cheese and mint (save the rest for garnish) and ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly reduced, well combined and heated through. (If the sauce starts to look dry, add as much of the remaining pasta cooking water as you’d like to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Plate your dish:
6 Plate your dish:
Divide the pasta between 2 dishes and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and mint. Garnish with the remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

Cook the pasta:
1 Cook the pasta:
Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the orecchiette pasta and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta thoroughly. Set aside as you continue cooking.
2 Prepare the ingredients:
While the pasta cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Shell the peas. Peel and slice the garlic. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems and finely chop the leaves. Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter the lemon and remove the seeds. Cut off and discard the root ends of the spring onions, then thinly slice on an angle.
Prepare the ingredients:
Cook the aromatics:
3 Cook the aromatics:
In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
4 Add the lamb:
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the lamb, using your hands to break apart or crumble the meat into smaller pieces before adding. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
Add the lamb:
Finish the pasta:
5 Finish the pasta:
Add the lemon zest, peas, cooked pasta, butter, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, half of both the Parmesan cheese and mint (save the rest for garnish) and ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly reduced, well combined and heated through. (If the sauce starts to look dry, add as much of the remaining pasta cooking water as you’d like to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6 Plate your dish:
Divide the pasta between 2 dishes and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and mint. Garnish with the remaining lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Plate your dish:
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