Pasta Piselli e Pancetta (Italian Pasta with Peas and Pancetta)
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Pasta Piselli e Pancetta is a simple Italian recipe of pasta with peas and pancetta straight from the “cucina povera.” Like most Italians, we enjoyed this dish often growing up. It’s an easy, comforting weeknight meal made with just a few simple ingredients: Orecchiette pasta, peas, pancetta, and Pecorino Romano.
Pasta con Piselli and Pancetta Recipe Snapshot
- Cuisine: Italian
- Dish Type: Pasta
- Key Ingredients: Orecchiette pasta, peas, pancetta, onion, Pecorino Romano
- Texture: Light, savory, and comforting with tender, sweet peas and chewy pasta
- Why This Recipe Works: Orecchiette catches the peas and cheese for better texture and flavor in every bite
- Time-Saving Tip: The peas cook while the pasta boils, so the dish is ready in about 20 minutes
- Perfect For: Quick weeknight dinners, simple Italian meals, and spring-inspired comfort food
What is Pasta e Piselli?
Pasta e piselli is a simple, comforting dish from Central and Southern Italy made with pasta tossed in peas, onion, and plenty of Pecorino Romano. Like Bucatini alla Carbonara and Pasta alla Norma, it’s a perfect example of cucina povera, taking inexpensive, everyday ingredients and turning them into something truly satisfying.
Traditionally, Italian families make pasta e piselli in the spring when fresh peas are at their best. Thankfully, frozen peas work beautifully, which means this is a dish you can enjoy year-round. It’s one I make often on busy weeknights because everything cooks at the same time. While the pasta boils, the peas cook on the stove, so dinner is ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Like many classic Italian recipes, every family has their own version. Many recipes use ditalini pasta, but I prefer orecchiette. The small, cup-shaped pasta acts like little ears, catching the peas and giving you better bites and a great texture in every forkful. Some versions add tomato paste or sauce for a light, brothy base, while others mash the peas to create a creamy sauce. The version I grew up with keeps it simple: tender peas, pasta, and cheese, tossed together so each ingredient’s flavor comes through.
What I love about this version is how efficient and balanced it is. While the pasta cooks, the peas cook too, so everything comes together quickly without sacrificing flavor. The orecchiette pasta gives the dish great texture, catching the sweet peas and crispy bits of pancetta, ensuring you get the perfect balance of salty and sweet in every single bite.
Pasta con Piselli and Pancetta Ingredients and Substitutions
Sweet Peas: You can use fresh peas if they are in season. But frozen peas work great in this recipe, and I actually prefer them, because they maintain their shape and sweet flavor while cooking.
Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese: Our family recipe calls for Pecorino Romano, which adds a salty bite, but if you don’t have access to it or you prefer Parmigiano Reggiano, that will work well too. The Parmigiano will give the peas a nutty, less salty flavor.
Cubed Pancetta: Pancetta is aged, seasoned, and salt-cured pork belly. It is sometimes called Italian bacon. If you need a substitution, try bacon, guanciale, or prosciuto can be used.
Orecchiette Pasta: Orecchiette are perfect for catching the peas and pancetta. Other pasta shapes that work well in this dish are small shells and ditalini. My Pasta and Sauce Pairing Guide will give you more substitution ideas.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of tomato paste or about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce for a little color and flavor.
- For a soupy version, add 6-7 cups of chicken broth to the peas and cook the pasta in the broth.
- For a creamy version, remove about half the peas, place them in a bowl with a splash of water, and emulsify with a hand blender until creamy, then stir them back into the sauce.
- My mother adds fennel fronds to the peas when they are in season, which gives the dish a bright flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Fry pancetta until crisp in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add diced onion and cook until it begins to soften.
Step 2: Stir the peas, salt and pepper into the pancetta and cook for a minute or two.
Step 3:Strain the pasta into the saute pan, mix well and add a ladel or two of starchy pasta water. Finish by stiring in the Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve immediately with more grated cheese.
Cooking Tips
- Rendering the pancetta allows the fat to melt out more slowly and completely before the meat browns, resulting in a silkier sauce and more even “crisp”.
- To properly render the pancetta, start by placing it in a single layer in a cold pan set over medium-low heat. Let the pancetta cook undisturbed until it starts to brown, then stir it so the remaining fatty pieces have time to brown. Make sure the pancetta is crispy before adding other ingredients.
- After frying the pancetta, remove half to serve as a crunchy topping for the pasta.
Pasta e Piselli FAQs
You can use well-drained canned peas in this recipe, but the texture will not be the same. Canned peas may be soft or mushy. For the best flavor and texture, I would stick with fresh or frozen peas.
Yes, by omitting the pancetta, you can make Pasta e Piselli vegan.
Pasta e piselli is best enjoyed right after it’s made, when the pasta is tender, and the peas are fresh. Leftovers can be stored and reheated, but the texture will be soft rather than silky.
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Pasta con Piselli e Pancetta (Pasta with Peas & Pancetta)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 4 ounces Pancetta Diced
- 3/4 cup Onion Diced
- 16 ounces Green Peas Fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano Grated
- 1 pound Orecchiette Pasta Or aother small pasta shape such as Ditalini
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water per package instructions. While the pasta is cooking heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until crispy, about 2 minutes. Add the diced onion and saute until just tender.2 tablespoons Olive oil, 4 ounces Pancetta, 3/4 cup Onion, 1 pound Orecchiette Pasta, 16 ounces Green Peas
- Stir the peas, salt and pepper into the pancetta and cook for a minute or two. When the pasta is done, strain the pasta into the saute pan, mix well and add a ladel or two of starchy pasta water. Add more if the pasta seems dry. Finish by stiring in the Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve immediately with more grated cheese.16 ounces Green Peas, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, ¼ cup Pecorino Romano
Video
Such a great comfort recipe. Quick and easy to make. Delicious.
John, I am so glad you tried my Pasta e Piselli. It really is a comforting dish.