Creamy Pasta and Peas
This creamy, one-pan pasta dish features tender noodles and a creamy, herby sauce that’s spiked with green peas and plenty of parmesan cheese. And since the pasta cooks right in the sauce, it’s incredibly flavorful (and there’s one pan to clean)!
You will adore this creamy, cheesy cream sauce. And, unlike a lot of pasta cream sauces, there’s no tomato paste (tomato paste is usually added to pasta e piselli, or pasta with peas). I love this tomato-free version. It’s perfectly creamy, and definitely cheesy.
Choose your favorite pasta for this dish! I used rigatoni because that’s what I had on hand, but you can use any pasta shape you want – from penne and bowties, to smaller shapes like ditalini and orzo. Just make sure to follow the package instructions for the cooking time.
Feel free to add other veggies to the pot. I used frozen green peas, but frozen carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, and frozen mixed vegetables would also be great. If you want to use fresh vegetables, that works too!
Round out the meal with a salad! You need little else to turn this pasta dish into a complete meal. Add a fresh green salad and maybe some warm bread and dinner is complete.
Creamy Pasta and Peas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 5-6 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- 1 pound pasta of choice, I used rigatoni
- 1 cup frozen peas, kept frozen until ready to use
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a low boil.
- Add the pasta, partially cover, and cook (gently boiling) according to the package directions, until al dente, stirring frequently and adding more broth (or water) if necessary (you want a thick sauce). The pasta will likely take a few minutes longer than the package directions since it’s cooking in broth at a low boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the peas and heavy cream. Cook until the peas are thawed but still bright green.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle the pasta into bowls and serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.