Creamy Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

4.97 from 29 votes

This super quick and easy creamy pasta with peas and pancetta is perfect for a weekend night dinner. Delicious sweet peas and crispy salty pancetta are the perfect combination, it's a classic for a reason. Combined into a creamy parmesan sauce, freshened up with lemon and arugula. I make this super easy pasta recipe all year round, I know you'll love it.

Fusilli pasta in a creamy sauce with cubes of pancetta and peas. On a white plate with arugula leaves on top.

Hello! This DELICIOUS creamy pancetta and pea pasta is a classic combination of flavors. Frozen or fresh peas in pasta is one of my absolute favorite things and nestled into this creamy sauce? It's kind of perfect and equally amazing for busy weeknights or dinner with friends.

I have used a dried fusilli bucati, (one of my fave short pasta shapes!) but use anything you like! It comes together in a flash and a perfect dish for any time of year. I love to add some fresh arugula to the dish at the end to freshen it up.

Looking for another creamy pasta to try next time? Check out these easy meals:

Main ingredients

Pasta - I have used fusilli, it's one of my favourite dried shapes so I highly recommend. At the end of the day you can use whatever you like! I'm not into rules.

Pancetta - Please try and find pancetta if you can (I get it at a gourmet grocery store), but substitute bacon if you have to. Pancetta gives so much more flavour than regular bacon. You buy it in little slabs then cut it into tiny cubes.

Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves are best always.

Green Peas - Frozen peas are such a delicious addition to any pasta sauce. You don't need to defrost them, it doesn't take long for them to cook in the pan. Use fresh peas, garden peas - anything you love!

Cream - I like to use single cream for a pasta sauce as the heat and parmesan thicken it a lot. If you use heavy cream you might just need to add some extra pasta water.

Parmesan cheese - The better the quality, the better the taste but this sauce is already loaded with flavour so use what works for you. It needs to be really finely grated. If you don't have a microplane then use the star side of your box grater. Use pecorino romano if you prefer.

Lemon juice - Fresh is always best! You can also top the finished dish with some of the zest. It gives the rich sauce a zingy fresh taste.

OPTIONAL Arugula - It adds such a perfect fresh touch to this rich dish. I like to mix half into the sauce and use the rest on top. You could also throw some fresh herbs on top, basil or fresh parsley would be delicious.

How to make this recipe

The full recipe, ingredient list and a short tutorial video are in the recipe card below.

Golden brown pancetta pieces frying in a stainless steel fry pan.

ONE: Fry the pancetta in extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet until golden over a medium high heat.

Finely chopped garlic sizzling with te pancetta.

TWO: Add the garlic and sizzle for 30 seconds. Lower to a medium heat.

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this link to you, so you can come back to it later!

THREE: Add the frozen or fresh peas and mix through.

FOUR: Lower the heat slightly and add he cream. You want a VERY gentle simmer.

Finely grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on the top of the cream.

FIVE: Add the parmesan in a few separate lots and mix in, letting it melt before adding more. I like to push the peas and crispy pancetta to the side while I do that. Add the black pepper and lemon juice and mix in quickly.

Cooked pasta in the sauce with the pancetta pieces and peas mixed through.

SIX: Add your cooked pasta in with a ¼ cup of pasta water, mix well and let it bubble away very gently for a min or two. Finish with some aruglua leaves if you wish and some extra parmesan and lemon zest.

Expert tips:

Weigh your pasta portions. It's a two second job and ensures the perfect amount of pasta per person.
Get all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. This is quite a quick sauce so it's great to spend a little extra time getting everything measured out and ready.
Timing! I try and time the cooking of my pasta so that when my sauce is ready I can transfer my cooked pasta straight into the sauce. This takes some practice. This sauce will take about 10 minutes to make. So you can start cooking your pasta after you start the sauce, depending how long the shape you've picked takes.
Keep an eye on the heat. When you add the cream you just want a nice gentle simmer, nothing should be boiling like crazy.
Undercook your pasta. I always undercook dried pasta by a minute so it can bubble away in the sauce at the end and still be al dente. Makes for an even more delicious dish.

Why pasta water is your best friend!

Pasta water is a key ingredient in almost every sauce I make. The starch left behind in the water helps thicken sauces and allows them to cling beautifully to the pasta, it’s what creates that silky, restaurant-style finish.

I never drain pasta in a colander. Instead, I transfer it straight into the sauce using a spider, leaving the pot of pasta water ready to ladle in as needed. Pasta absorbs liquid quickly, so I always keep sauces a little looser than you think, they’ll thicken perfectly by the time they hit the table.

Fusilli pasta in a creamy sauce with cubes of pancetta and peas.

Recipe FAQs

What can I substitute pancetta for?

You could use bacon or guanciale would be the closest match.

What cream is best for pasta?

I use a single or light cream as the heat and parmesan thicken it a lot. I find a heavy cream too thick but if that is what you have just thin it out with some extra pasta water.

Can I store leftovers?

I am secretly judging if you have leftover pasta. I don't find creamy sauces reheat particularly well but it will be fine stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days.

What pasta shape is best?

I have used a dried shape called fusilli bucati, which is one of my absolute favorites! It will work with any shape but preferably a short pasta. I find recipes where there are bits and pieces like peas and pancetta, using long shapes like pappardelle or spaghetti can be hard to mix through.

Want some other sauces to try?

If you loved this creamy pancetta and peas recipe and haven't tried my Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce then add it to the top of your list, it's the best simple pasta dish. For something similar my Creamy Bacon Pasta is a great one for the whole family. Have some time on your hands? My White Bolognese is to die for.

White plate with rigatoni pasta in a glossy creamy tomato pasta sauce. Grated parmesan cheese on top and a fork resting into pasta. — Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce

Did you make this recipe?

I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!

Recipe