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Zoomed in picture of peas pasta pancetta in brown ridged bowl with a gold fork and green dutch oven in background.

Easy Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

Allie Hagerty
Crisp pancetta, sweet peas, and lemony basil tossed with orecchiette in a silky Parm-butter sauce—no heavy cream. Simple steps and a generous crack of black pepper to finish.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Pasta
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven
  • pot
  • cutting board
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cups
  • stainless steel spider
  • wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces pancetta
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 10 ounces frozen peas
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 leaves basil, chiffonade
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 16 ounces pasta I used orecchiette
  • 3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
  • While the pasta is cooking, crisp pancetta in a large saucepan (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat for approximately 6 minutes until it turns golden. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Don't remove the oil created by pancetta from the pan.
  • In the same pan, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes, before adding the peas. Next, add the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Take the pan off the heat and add the cooked pasta, as well as the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine until butter is melted and coats the pasta. Add some of the reserved pasta water if you need a little more liquid! Serve immediately.

Notes

Expert Tips from My Kitchen
  • Start pancetta in a cold skillet; render slowly until deeply golden (flavor = in the fat).
  • Save a full cup of pasta water; whisk in off heat for a silky, no–heavy cream sauce.
  • Add lemon juice/zest and basil at the end to keep it bright.
  • Frozen peas go in last 2–3 minutes—just to heat, not mush.
  • Shapes that shine: orecchiette, fusilli, or penne (they trap peas + sauce perfectly).
Serving Suggestions
  • Finish with a glossy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a big crack of black pepper.
  • Simple sides: arugula with lemon vinaigrette, warm crusty bread, or garlic bread.
  • Pour a crisp Italian white (Verdicchio or Gavi) to match the lemony, salty vibe.
Reheating & Storage
  • Storage: fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days.
  • Stovetop: medium-low heat with a tablespoon or two of water (or pasta water) until glossy.
  • Microwave: short bursts with a splash of water; stir between. Refresh with lemon and Parm.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 0.25recipeCalories: 812kcalCarbohydrates: 100gProtein: 34gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 728mgPotassium: 618mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 783IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 3mg
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