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This pancetta and pea pasta recipe is super simple and on your table in under 30 minutes! It has a creamy garlic sauce with pops of savory flavor in each bite.
Try my Pancetta and Mushroom Chicken or Brie Pasta with Pancetta next.
Why you’ll love it
For those unfamiliar, pancetta is cured pork belly that’s kind of like bacon but not smoked. It crisps up wonderfully in this easy pasta! The sauce is nicely balanced with the freshness of peas, cozy creamy quality, punch of garlic, and salty pancetta. It’s really flavorful.
If you like spaghetti carbonara and peas, chances are you’ll enjoy this pancetta pasta! It has a similar flavor profile, and this bright pasta is so simple to make. It has only a handful of ingredients, and using half-and-half lightens it up while still tasting special.
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer shape like linguine, but use what you’ve got on hand
- Pancetta – I buy pre-diced cubes from the deli section of my local grocery store for convenience
- Garlic – delicious savory goodness
- Half-and-half – makes the sauce silky without being too heavy
- Italian seasoning – my favorite blend of dried herbs in one jar
- Peas – I just use frozen peas for ease, but garden peas of course work too
- Parmesan – always grate your own from a block for best texture and taste
Pro tip
Since pancetta is fairly salty, make sure to take a bite of this dish before adding in any additional salt. I find it doesn’t need it.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- A Microplane is my favorite tool for zesting and grating! It’s perfect for the parmesan cheese.
- This garlic press makes mincing garlic totally effortless.
- Store uncooked pasta in one of these airtight pantry containers for freshness.
How to make pancetta and pea pasta
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a skillet until crispy. Drain any excess fat.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, followed by the half-and-half, Italian seasoning, and peas. Let it simmer.
- Drain the pasta, and toss it with the sauce. Let it cook until the sauce thickens more.
Substitutions and variations
- If you can’t find pancetta, you can always just make this pasta with bacon instead.
- You definitely can use heavy cream instead of the half-and-half if you’re craving a richer sauce!
- See the comments section below for reader swaps and additions for more inspiration.
What to serve with pea and pancetta pasta
- A good amount of fresh black pepper really adds to the flavors.
- It’s great to pair with fresh crusty bread and some olive oil/balsamic vinegar or Pesto Sauce on the side for dipping.
- A salad works too. Try my Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, or make a big house salad with my Italian Salad Dressing and Garlic Parmesan Croutons.
Leftovers and storage
- I like this one best fresh, but you can keep leftovers for a couple of days in the fridge.
- Reheat on the stovetop, and add in a splash of half-and-half to revive the sauce.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
If you made this easy pancetta pasta, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also find me on Instagram and tag me in your stories.
Pancetta and Pea Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I recommend linguine)
- 1 (4.4 ounce) package diced pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 dash Italian seasoning
- 1 cup peas (I used frozen)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, fry the pancetta over medium-high heat until it’s nice and crispy (about 10 min.).
- If there’s a lot of fat left over, drain the majority of it.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the half-and-half, Italian seasoning, and peas.
- Let the sauce bubble for a few minutes, then drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet, along with the parmesan.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce and let it cook for a few more minutes, tossing often (turn heat down to medium/med-low). This will help more of the starch to release from the pasta so the sauce thickens up a bit more. Serve immediately with fresh cracked pepper if desired.
Notes
- You can dice the pancetta yourself if you can’t find the pre-diced variety. Pancetta is pretty salty, so I don’t typically add extra salt to dishes with pancetta in them (aside from the pasta water, of course).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Super quick and delicious!!
Thank you!!
Made this tonight after a hard day at work and both my husband and I loved it! A keeper for sure! Thanks for posting.
You’re very welcome, Zana! Thank you so much for writing us a review! 🙂
I mean it does not get any easier but this! Fast and delicious. I did add a ton of black pepper so it was a little cacio e Pepe yum
So happy you enjoyed it!!
One night I wanted pasta, nothing heavy or too much prep. I found this recipe and had all the ingredients on hand (which is usually unlikely). I whipped this up in no time and I have to say, it is delicious! I only had thin spaghetti, but it worked out fine. I made the sauce a little thinner by adding pasta water because I’m a sauce person. Thank you for this ez and delicious recipe.
You’re very welcome!
This was fantastic and perfect for a quick weeknight meal! Love the garlicky cream sauce!
So happy to hear it, Shana! Thank you for your review 🙂
Do you put the peas in still frozen? I cooked this tonight and the sauce turned out very watery, unfortunately :/ trying to figure out what I did wrong!
Hi! Hmm… I do put them in frozen, yes. I’m wondering if you just needed to let the sauce reduce a little longer and do step 6 for a little more time. Or, using heavy cream instead of the half-and-half will help it thicken faster.
This was delicious! And so easy to make.
Great to hear, thanks!! 🙂 Appreciate you taking the time to write me a review, April!
We have tried this twice. Both times fantastic! And a super simple recipe! The first time we followed the recipe 100% and then the second time we used orecchiette pasta and also added toasted pine nuts which recalled added a nice addition to the flavors.
I am so glad that you like it, Michelle! Thanks for letting me know. Love the pine nuts idea!
This pasta is so easy and so delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad you liked it!
Love how quick and delicious this looks! Can’t wait to try!
Thanks, Karly! 🙂