Pasta and Peas

My comforting Pasta and Peas is the ultimate midweek dinner! This traditional Italian dish, also known as pasta e piselli, is made in just one pot, uses basic pantry staples and comes together in less than 30 minutes. 

Say goodbye to boring weeknight dinners and hello to my deliciously creamy Pasta and Peas!

Just like most traditional Italian dishes, this recipe for Pasta and Peas uses basic and economical ingredients to create a delicious and seriously luscious pasta. I know you’ll love that it is a one pot dish and makes cleaning up a breeze!

Along with my Rigatoni Arrabbiata, Sausage Broccolini Pasta and Tortellini alla Panna, my Pasta with Peas is a speedy midweek dinner. In no time at all, you’ll have an incredibly flavorsome and cheesy pasta dish on the table for your family. 

The secret to this simple recipe is the combination of deliciously starchy pasta water and savory Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese) to create a creamy sauce. It’s completely fuss-free and happens naturally when the pasta is cooking. Pasta and Peas is the uncomplicated meal you need in your repertoire!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• It’s a delicious one-pot dish that comes together in no time.
• It uses basic and economical ingredients that I’m sure you’ll already have on hand.
• The creamy, cheesy, savory sauce is the ultimate comfort food.
• This recipe is a fuss-free pasta dish that is perfect for busy nights. 

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

• Olive oil – I prefer extra virgin olive oil because it has a lovely peppery vibrancy. But you could use regular olive oil if you prefer.
• Onion – for this recipe, I use a large yellow onion. 
• Bacon – I always keep bacon in my freezer divided into smaller portions for dishes like this. In small portions, it takes no time to defrost and adds instant flavor!
• Frozen peas – just regular frozen peas. If you can get your hands on sweet, fresh peas, absolutely use those! Another simple pea dish I like to make is this delicious French Peas recipe.
• Boiling water – from the kettle or a pot on the stove.
• Small pasta – my preference is ditalini because they are a very similar shape to the peas, but you could use any small pasta that you like – orzo, mezzi rigatoni, shells, or ‘little elbows’.
• Salt and black pepper – nothing fancy here. 
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – also known as Parmesan cheese. I don’t recommend buying the pre-grated kind. It’s more expensive in the long term, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese tastes much better! Buy yourself the best quality Parmesan cheese you can afford in a block and grate it as you need. 

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

1. Fry chopped onion and bacon in heated olive oil on medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Add the peas and cook on low heat for 4 or 5 minutes.
2. Add boiling water to the saucepan.
3. Once the water is boiling, salt the water well and add the pasta. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
4. This dish shouldn’t be soupy or too dry. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil 

Substitutions

• Instead of using a yellow onion, you could substitute it with a white onion, red onion or a few shallots.
• Try using pancetta instead of bacon for a more traditional Italian flavor.
• If you don’t have Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese, you could use Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Manchego.

Variations

• Why not try a spicy version of this pasta with peas by adding red pepper flakes?
• For extra flavor, you could add boiling chicken or vegetable stock or broth instead of water. Just be careful not to oversalt.
• If you’d like to make this Italian pasta during the warmer months, why not add a bit of lemon zest and chopped fresh herbs at the end to make it zingy!

Storage

This dish is really best made fresh because the starchy pasta water mixed with the cheese becomes the sauce. If you have any leftovers, I recommend adding a little extra water to the pasta before reheating it in the microwave. Any leftover pasta could be a little dry because as it sits in the refrigerator, and will soak up the sauce. But it’s still very tasty!

Tips for Success and FAQ’s

Just like Goldilocks, you want to make sure this Pasta and Peas recipe is just right. Be careful not to let it dry out but also don’t use too much liquid. It shouldn’t be soupy, but it also shouldn’t be dry.

As with all of my Italian pasta recipes, the pasta should not be overcooked. It should still have a little resistance when you bite into it, but no chalky texture. The easiest way to check the pasta is al dente is to try it!

This Italian pasta recipe has very simple flavors, so it is important to salt the dish well. I recommend tasting the pasta as it cooks and seasoning it to your taste. It also helps to use good quality cheese. 

Serving Suggestions

I usually serve Pasta and Peas without sides on busy weeknights. But if I have a little more time up my sleeve, I love to serve it with my Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad or with a side of Ciabatta Garlic Bread. And it’s always nice to finish a pasta meal with my Zuppa Inglese! 

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