Pasta e Piselli (20 Minute Pasta with Peas Recipe)

Pasta e Piselli is weeknight magic—silky, glossy, and done before the table is even set! The small pasta cooks right in the broth, so every bite is al dente and steeped in flavor. Sweet peas, onion, and Parmigiano Reggiano come together in a sauce that feels cozy without trying hard. Serve tonight with my chicken al limone—the bright lemon and herbs cut through the richness and make the sweetness of the peas pop.

If you’re building a little one-pot rotation, try my butternut squash orzotto for a gently sweet, ultra-creamy pasta dish that tastes like a warm hug, and my mushroom orzotto when you want deeper, savory notes with thyme and black pepper.

Recipe Highlights: Pasta e Piselli

• Where It Comes From: A homey Italian pasta dish you’ll find across nonna kitchens—simple ingredients treated with care until the sweetness of the peas melts into the sauce.
• Best For: Quick family dinners, solo bowls on the couch, or a “we cooked!” date night that took 20 minutes.
• What Makes It Special: Cooking small pasta right in the broth builds body and texture—no large pot of water needed—so every bite is glossy, al dente, and loaded with flavor.
• One More Thing: It’s wildly flexible—swap shapes (tubetti, ditalini pasta, small shells), go vegetarian version with vegetable broth, or add pancetta tesa for a salty pop.

Ingredients Notes

• Onion: Finely chopped onion should soften, not brown. You want gentle sweetness, which sets up the peas and keeps the sauce clean.
• Olive Oil and Butter: Extra-virgin olive oil first for flavor, then butter off heat to emulsify. That’s your glossy finish—stir until it looks satiny.
• Parm: Parmigiano Reggiano gets stirred in off heat to avoid clumping; if using pecorino romano cheese, expect a saltier edge—taste and adjust the salt.
• Ditalini: Small pasta (tubetti, ditalini, small shells) cooks evenly in broth; stir often so the starch releases into the sauce without sticking.

Suggested Ingredient Substitutions and Additions

• Herby Lift: Fold in fresh mint or torn basil at the end for a cool, green finish.
• Savory Boost: Sauté diced pancetta tesa with the onion, then proceed—instant depth.
• Creamy Whisper: A spoon of mascarpone or a splash of cream off heat turns this toward “hearty soup” territory.
• Lemon & Crunch: Finish with lemon zest, black pepper, and toasted breadcrumbs for texture.

How to Make Pasta e Piselli

1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds, until fragrant.

2. Add the peas and pasta: Add 1 ½ cups of frozen peas and 1 cup of small pasta to the pan. Stir to coat in the oil and aromatics.

3. Simmer with broth: Pour in 3 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10–12 minutes. Add more broth, ¼ cup at a time, if needed to keep things creamy.

4. Finish with butter and cheese: Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and ½ cup of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.

Serve and enjoy: Spoon into bowls and serve warm. Top with extra cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if you’d like.

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Creamy Pasta e Piselli (One Pot Dinner)

Allie Hagerty

A fast, one-pot pasta dish where small pasta simmers in broth with sweet peas, onion, and Parmigiano Reggiano for a silky, glossy sauce. Simple, flexible, and deeply flavorful—perfect on its own or alongside chicken al limone.

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Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 17 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Pasta

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Large saucepan or deep skillet
• Wooden Spoon or silicone spatula
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove minced
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas no need to thaw
• 1 cup small pasta like ditalini or tubetti
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 tsp Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper (plus more to taste)

Instructions

 

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Add 1 ½ cups of frozen peas and 1 cup of small pasta to the pan. Stir to coat in the oil and aromatics.
• Pour in 3 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10–12 minutes. Add more broth, ¼ cup at a time, if needed to keep things creamy.
• Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and ½ cup of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Spoon into bowls and serve warm. Top with extra cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if you’d like.

Notes

• Keep it Gentle: simmer softly and stir often; add broth little by little so the sauce stays glossy, not soupy.
• Butter + Parm Go In Off Heat: if it tightens, loosen with a small splash of warm broth and stir until silky.
• Season at the End: broth and cheese bring salt—finish with black pepper and a touch of lemon zest or fresh mint if you want extra lift.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 10gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 8mgPotassium: 272mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 592IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

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