Pasta with Peas

This pasta with peas is sure to become your new favorite weeknight meal! Ditalini pasta, bacon, and peas are cooked in a savory broth and tossed in parmesan cheese to make one flavorful dish. It's just so delicious and is a quick pasta dish the whole family will love!

The Best Pasta with Peas

If you're looking for a way to dress up your weeknight pasta meal, look no further than this creamy pasta with bacon and peas.

The pasta combined with savory, smoky bacon and tender peas, topped with fresh basil and parmesan cheese, makes a combination like no other. The finished creamy pasta dish is so fresh, flavorful, and filling.

It's the perfect simple weeknight meal for the family, or you can double the recipe to serve it to a crowd if you're hosting. Either way, this pasta with bacon and peas is sure to impress and is a dish you'll come back to time and time again!

The pasta and peas can be the star of the meal alone, but it's even better served with these Olive Garden breadsticks for the ideal side. 

Why This Recipe Works

Easy to customize. Don't have Ditalini pasta? Choose another small pasta like elbow macaroni or shells. Swap the frozen peas for fresh peas or any veggies you want. Also, you can use hickory smoked bacon or thick cut bacon to enhance the flavor, or leave out the bacon altogether for a classic pasta with peas recipe.

It's a quick meal. The longest part of making this bacon pea pasta is cooking the pasta, and that's all passive cooking time. You'll have dinner ready and on the table in well under 30 minutes!

It's great for a crowd. Not sure what to bring to a potluck? This bacon pasta with peas dish is so easy to make in large quantities. Simply double or triple the recipe, and you're good to go!

Ingredients

This creamy pasta with bacon and peas is actually made with really basic ingredients. Seriously, check out what you'll need for this pea pasta recipe:

• 12 oz. ditalini pasta, cooked
• 2 oz. bacon, diced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 lb frozen peas
• 1 cup grated Grana Padano cheese or parmesan cheese
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• Fresh basil for garnish
• Salt and pepper

If you have extra peas, give this creamed peas recipe a try next!

How To Make Pasta with Peas

1. Cook the bacon and peas: Place the bacon and shallot in a large skillet over medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the frozen peas to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently again, for about another minute. Pour the vegetable broth into the skillet and bring everything to a boil over high heat. Let everything cook for 10-15 minutes.

2. Cook the pasta: While the bacon and sweet peas are cooking, you can cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the salt, and cook the pasta until al dente. 

3. Finish the dish: Drain the pasta from the pasta water, then mix the cooked pasta with the cooked bacon and peas in a large pot or bowl. Stir well to combine everything together. Complete the dish with grated Grana Padano cheese or parmesan cheese and mix everything one last time.

4. Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary before serving. Then, serve this creamy pasta immediately with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil leaves, and extra Grana Padano cheese. Enjoy!

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrape up all the tasty brown bits left from the bacon and peas in the pan as you add in the vegetable broth! They'll add tons of flavor.
• Feel free to use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth for a different flavor. You could even use heavy cream to make the sauce creamier and more decadent.
• Add other veggies like sweet corn, diced carrot, or bell pepper to bring this bacon pasta to the next level. 
• For an extra creamy sauce, add a few tablespoons of cream cheese to the sauce after everything cooks.
• Use turkey bacon for a leaner, healthier version of this pasta with peas. Or, as I mentioned earlier, you can leave the bacon out for a traditional pasta with peas recipe.

How To Store Pasta with Peas

In the fridge: Store leftover pasta with peas in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-5 days.

In the freezer: Transfer the pea pasta dish to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for about 3 months. Let the frozen pasta thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating: Put your leftover pasta in a large pan or skillet and cook over medium heat until it is warmed through. You can also microwave it in 20-second increments until it reaches your desired temperature. Feel free to add a little extra parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil if you'd like.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

• Chicken and broccoli pasta bake
• Gigi Hadid vodka pasta
• Kielbasa pasta
• Cream cheese pasta
• Chicken pesto pasta
• Taco pasta bake
• Cajun pasta