A simple Italian-American made in under 30 minutes, Pasta with Peas and Pancetta, or Pasta Piselli. It's light, but still creamy and cheesy, with a mixture of pancetta, peas, and pecorino romano! My kids love this meal, and it makes family weeknight dinner so easy.
Love light pasta meals? You may also love Pasta with Zucchini, Creamy Pesto Shrimp Pasta, or Pasta alla Norma. I love finding a delicious recipe that works for the whole family!
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Pasta with Peas and Pancetta (Pasta Piselli)
- ⏲️Ready in: 30 minutes
- 👪Makes: 6 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: pasta, peas, pancetta.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: You'll love pasta with peas and pancetta because it's delicious and ready for your family in less than 30 minutes.
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Why this Dish Works for Family
I'm always looking for something that I can make with ingredients that I have on hand. Sometimes, it's 5 o'clock, and I want to make something fresh for my family that I know is kid-approved. 90% of my pasta recipes fall into that category, but only a few are under 30 minutes, like Pasta with Cauliflower, Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil, or Pasta with Peas and Pancetta.
This is why it will work for your family!
- You'll have most of the ingredients on hand, and they're easy to substitute.
- Minimal prepping is involved with the ingredients.
- Cooking time is only 15 minutes!
- It's creamy because of the pasta water and oil emulsion, but doesn't use any cream!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pancetta. The ingredient is in the name of the dish. But not everyone keeps this on hand. Substitute 3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and skip the frying the pancetta step, if you want to make this dish without any meat, or if you just don't have any pancetta.
- Pecorino Romano. I feel this flavor is the most in line with what works for a dish like this. I'm sure people will replace it with Parmigiano-Reggiano, though, which is fine. The higher the quality of parmigiana, the better. Otherwise, you will probably get little clumps of cheese, or it will stick all over the bottom of the pan.
- Peas. Anything cut up small could work here. Whether it be chopped-up cauliflower or broccoli. Feel free to use the vegetable that works best for your family. Use frozen peas, not canned, because canned peas will get mushy.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Pasta with Peas and Pancetta
Start your timer because you'll be done cooking in 30 minutes. Pasta with peas and pancetta is going to be a new household favorite to eat AND MAKE.
Step 1: Add pancetta to a cold pan and raise the heat to medium. Slowly fry the pancetta until it is golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 2: Add the minced garlic to the pan and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 3: While sauteing the pancetta, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, then add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Save at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water.
Step 4: Add 1 cup of pasta water to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
Step 5: Toss the peas in with the pasta water. Strain the fusilli and add it to the pan. Toss everything together really well.
Step 6: Remove the pan from the heat and add another ½ cup of pasta water and the pecorino romano. Stir vigorously until everything is combined.
As you're stirring, you may need to add more pasta water to increase the creaminess. Wait until the pasta water is almost absorbed to add more.
Once the sauce is silky, stop tossing and serve with extra pecorino romano and fresh cracked black pepper.
If you love easy weeknight meals, try Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe or serve it with Italian Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin!
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Pro-Tips
- Fry the pancetta in a cold pan. This will help render the fat and make the pancetta golden brown and crispy. Because the fat will render at a lower temperature, starting on a cold pan helps that process start before the meat on the pancetta starts cooking.
- When combining the pasta water and pecorino romano, make sure to remove the pan from the heat so that the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the cheese slowly if you're worried about it sticking.
FAQs about Pasta Piselli
No, canned peas will turn to complete mush, and you will have a completely green and wet pasta. Stick to frozen peas.
Pasta with peas and pancetta can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This can easily be microwaved, but for the best texture, add a little olive oil to a pan and reheat over medium heat until warmed through.
Bacon or guanciale are good options. Guanciale will give you a closer flavor to this recipe, though, while bacon will completely take over the taste.
If you're using freshly grated pecorino romano, it's probably because the pan was still too hot or you didn't remove it from the heat.
It's best fresh, but you can reheat the leftovers with a little bit of oil.
Serving Suggestions
Pasta and Piselli is great to be served alone, especially to kids. But I really like to have some protein on my plate. Here are some options for you to serve it with.
- Chicken is the obvious go-to choice! Serve it with Cast Iron Chicken Breast, Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Francese, Chicken Spiedini, or Chicken Saltimbocca.
- I usually like rice with my fish, but sometimes I like to change it up. Try serving this easy pasta with some of our quick fish recipes like Lemon Garlic Broiled Flounder, Pan-Seared Vermillion Snapper, Cast Iron Lemon Dill Salmon, or Pistachio-Crusted Fish.
- I'd also serve this alongside a vegetable like Italian Cabbage Recipe, Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), Fried Green Tomatoes, or a salad with Traditional Caesar Dressing.
More Rustic Old-School Italian Meals
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
Pasta with Peas and Pancetta
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 lb fusilli or pasta of your choice
- 2 cups peas
- 8 oz pancetta, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pecorino romano, grated
Instructions
- Add pancetta to a cold pan and raise the heat to medium. Slowly fry the pancetta until it is golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- While sauteing the pancetta, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, then add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Save at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water.
- Add 1 cup of pasta water to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
- Toss the peas in with the pasta water. Strain the fusilli and add it to the pan. Toss everything together really well.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add another ½ cup of pasta water and the pecorino romano. Stir vigorously until everything is combined. As you're stirring, you may need to add more pasta water to increase the creaminess. Wait until the pasta water is almost absorbed to add more.
Video
Notes
- Fry the pancetta in a cold pan. This will help render the fat and make the pancetta golden brown and crispy. Because the fat will render at a lower temperature, starting on a cold pan helps that process start before the meat on the pancetta starts cooking.
- When combining the pasta water and pecorino romano, make sure to remove the pan from the heat so that the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the cheese slowly if you're worried about it sticking.
Mary says
Can you freeze this dish.
Vincent DelGiudice says
No it would not freeze well.
Janice Conklin says
We love this dish!! So easy to make and absolutely delicious!! I added some red pepper flakes and WOW!!!
Vinny says
Kids love this dish. It's a cheap little cheesy pasta dish with peas. We make this during the week when we didn't have a plan for dinner! Our son loves it!