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Pancetta pea pasta is one of those dishes that nobody ever gets tired of. It offers a little of everything – a meaty taste from the pancetta, juicy green peas, a rich creamy sauce, and tasty pasta. It’s a filling and satisfying meal which the whole family will want on repeat. It only takes about half an hour to make, so it’s a good choice for those hectic weeknights when you don’t want to spend any longer cooking than you absolutely have to.
A rich-flavored and creamy dish, this pancetta pea pasta is made with meaty pancetta, pasta, peas, and cheese. It makes a tasty, cozy treat at dinnertime for all the family.
Other creamy pasta dishes you might like to try include this easy pink pasta sauce, baked cream cheese spaghetti and mac ‘n beer cheese.
Why You’ll Love This
Quick and easy: This recipe is ideal if you want to make something delicious but don’t have much time to spare, and it’s low-effort too.
So tasty: The cream sauce, meaty pancetta and fresh-tasting peas combine so well in this dish, making it a really flavorful choice.
Family friendly: This is a dish you won’t have to work hard to get the kids to eat, since kids tend to love anything with cream and cheese! Add some extra cheese on top of this pasta dish to make it extra kid-friendly!
Pancetta Pasta Main Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below
Shell pasta: Feel free to use a different pasta shape if you prefer.
Pancetta: Find it in the deli aisle. If you can’t find it, substitute bacon chunks (the thick ones as thinner bacon would cook too quickly). Pork belly is another possible alternative.
Frozen peas: Adding nutrition and flavor as well as an appealing pop of color, peas are a good choice here. Choose from frozen petite peas or another kind of frozen peas for this.
Heavy cream: For the sauce. Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
Parmesan: For the sauce and to serve. Shredded (not grated) fresh parmesan cheese is best.
How to Make Pea Pancetta Pasta
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card
Cook the pasta: Following the directions on the package, cook the dried pasta to al dente and then drain it, saving some of the pasta water.
Cook the pancetta: Cook the pancetta in a skillet over a medium heat until beginning to crisp, then drain and set aside.
Cook the onion and garlic: Add butter to the same skillet, then pan fry the onion and cook. Add the garlic and cook some more.
Finish the sauce: Add the cream and black pepper, and simmer, then stir in the cheese, peas and cooked pancetta. Stir in the cooked pasta, adding pasta water too if the sauce is too thick.
Serve and enjoy: Serve this pasta recipe hot, garnished with fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta.
Different veggies: Not a pea fan? You can substitute thawed mixed veggies like broccoli, green beans or a mixture.
Vegetarian version: Swap the pancetta for your favorite meat alternative or use extra veggies instead. Something ‘meaty’ textured like portobello mushrooms would be good in this.
No butter? Use olive oil instead.
Serving Suggestions
Side dishes: Sides for this easy pasta dish are optional but truffle nacho fries or maple-roasted rainbow carrots would make a nice contrast.
Dessert: Continue the Italian theme with limoncello bundt cake, rainbow cookies, or mascarpone-stuffed strawberries.
How to Store Pasta with Pancetta and Peas
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.
Freeze: You can freeze this for up to 3 months. The texture might change a little though.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: The simplest way to reheat pasta, pancetta and peas is to microwave it, but another idea is to warm it up in a pan on the stove.
Top Tips
Fresh vegetables: If you prefer to use fresh veggies like broccoli or green beans, for example, chop them into bite-sized pieces and add to the pasta water when the pasta is a few minutes from being fully cooked.
Best parmesan cheese: Don’t use grated parmesan cheese because it’s too powdery. Use shredded parmesan here, either bagged or fresh.
Keep the pasta water: The pasta cooking water has starch in it from the pasta, which makes it ideal for use later if you need to thin the sauce a bit.
Pasta, Pancetta and Peas FAQs
Yes, you can use spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine if you prefer.
It’s best to do this, as there will be quite a bit. I like to save it as a cooking fat for future dishes. If you want to try this, keep it refrigerated. Whatever you do, don’t pour cooking fat down the sink, otherwise it’s liable to clog up!
Some people like a splash of lemon juice or, for an elegant flavor, a splash of dry sherry or white wine could be good. You can also increase the vegetable ratio using less pancetta and more veggies if you wish.
Pasta with Pancetta and Peas
Pancetta Pea Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces shell pasta, uncooked
- 8 Ounces pancetta, ¼-inch diced
- 2 Cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Cup peas, frozen peas, thawed
- 1 ½ Cups heavy cream
- ½ Cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded plus more for serving
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper, ground
- parsley, fresh chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot with lightly salted water, cook the pasta as directed on the package (approximately 8 minutes once the water is boiling). Once the pasta is cooked, remove 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and place it in a small bowl.
- In a large skillet, heat over medium/high heat, add the pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes until the pieces start to crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan to drain, and set aside in a small bowl.
- In the same skillet, add the butter and onion and cook on medium for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute, keeping the temperature at medium/medium low.
- Add the heavy cream and black pepper, then bring to a low simmer. Continue stirring the cream and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the parmesan cheese in 2 to 3 batches, continuously stirring so it melts smoothly.
- Add the thawed peas and the cooked pancetta and combine. Add the cooked pasta and stir together until fully mixed. If the sauce is too thick, mix in some pasta water ¼ cups at a time, to get the cream consistency you desire.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and additional shredded parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Pancetta pea pasta is a delicious dish boasting plenty of rich flavors including meaty pancetta, tender pasta shapes and a rich creamy, cheesy sauce, along with green peas. It’s a dish you can tweak if you prefer a different meat or vegetable, and it’s ideal for any occasion, paired with anything from fries for a cozy meal to a green salad for a more upmarket offering. With this creamy pancetta pasta dish, most people immediately want that second bowlful!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Pancetta pea pasta is such a hit in my house! The creamy sauce is perfection.
Loved this recipe. I will be making it again for sure!
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends too!
I tried making this yesterday and I super love this recipe! So easy to make!
I am amazed at how something so simple can be so good. I love the cheesy goodness, too!