Pancetta and Pea Pasta

Pasta with pancetta, peas, a creamy garlic sauce, and plenty of fresh parmesan makes an easy and tasty dinner!

4.86 from 7 votes

This pancetta and pea pasta is a quick and delicious weeknight dinner recipe. It can be on your table in less than 30 minutes! The garlicky cream sauce is lightened up by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pancetta and pea pasta, pancetta pasta

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

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).
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition