Pancetta Pasta For A Simple Weeknight Win!
There is something so completely satisfying about a simple pasta dish, and this pancetta pasta does not disappoint! It’s one of those recipes that the whole family loves! It’s creamy, cheesy, packed with crispy bits of pancetta, and has fresh English peas which our kiddos love!
We top the grown ups’ portions with lots of freshly ground black pepper and all the herbs, but the real kicker is arugula micro greens. They add a much needed kick (slightly spicy, but not at all butter) that we could add to literally everything.
If you’re sharing this with kids and they’re not a fan of spice, simply omit the arugula and go a little heavy of the salty, crispy pancetta. So delish!
Did we mention that pancetta pasta is quick? We’re talkin’ less than 20 minutes! Thanks to macaroni (or elbow pasta), the cook time is minimal. Who’s ready for din?!
Ingredients For Pancetta Pasta
Let’s start with the most obvious ingredient: crispy pancetta!
But first, what is pancetta? It’s salt-cured meat from the pork belly that is typically seasoned with salt, black peppercorns, and juniper berries.
It’s essentially bacons’ fancier cousin and we love it. Treat it exactly the same way as you would American bacon — crisp it up in a pan, then allow to drain on a paper towel before serving. We like to dice it for this pasta recipe.
Ok, now grab the remaining ingredients and we’re on our way to quick, flavorful weeknight perfection!
- Elbow pasta (or your favorite pasta shape!)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh English peas, shelled
- Mascarpone cheese
- Whole milk
- Shredded Italian cheese blend (think asiago, provolone, mozzarella, fontina, etc.)
- Finely chopped tomatoes
- Chives
- Rosemary
- Arugula microgreens
- Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
Pancetta vs. Prosciutto
Prosciutto, by contrast, is an Italian dry-cured ham that is thinly sliced, silky smooth, and generally eaten without cooking. It’s absolutely delicious, but it’s not a great substitute for pancetta. If you can’t find pancetta, use bacon or guanciale instead!
How To Make Pancetta Pasta
- Crisp the pancetta. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper-towel lined bowl to drain.
- Cook the peas. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, then add fresh English peas. Cook for 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Cook the elbow pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of cooking liquid, then drain.
- Make the sauce. Add mascarpone, ½ cup whole milk, 1 cup shredded cheese, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta, then stir until cheeses have melted and a sauce has formed.
- Add tomatoes and herbs. Pour in finely chopped tomatoes, the cooled, drained peas, and herbs, then toss gently to combine. Add more reserved water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
- Serve pancetta pasta. Spoon generous helpings of pasta into serving bowls, then top each with a handful of arugula micro greens, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Tips For The Best Pasta
- As with all pastas, we recommend reserving at least ½ cup of the cooking liquid before draining. It’s full of starch, and when added back into the pasta sauce, it makes it super creamy and luscious!
- Speaking of sauce, make sure to mix the pancetta pasta directly with the sauce in a large pan! This is the best way to ensure everything is evenly coated and the sauce really sticks to the pasta!
- Taste before serving! It sounds obvious, but so often people forget to taste their food and adjust seasoning. A pinch of flaky sea salt at the end will take any dish from ordinary to extraordinary!
Looking for more pancetta recipes? We get it! We love pancetta too!
- Pear tartlets with pancetta and blue cheese
- Creamy kale gnocchi
- Weeknight pasta with pancetta, peas, and mint
- Butternut squash risotto
- Grilled potato salad
- Clam toast with pancetta
If you make this Pancetta Pasta with Arugula, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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For more pasta recipes, check out the following:
- Spicy crab pasta
- Chicken pesto pasta
- Rigatoni bolognese
- Spaghetti alle vongole
- Chorizo and butternut squash pasta
Pancetta Pasta with Arugula
Ingredients
- 1 lb 16 oz elbow pasta or other pasta, cook time adjusted accordingly
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ lb pancetta cubed
- 1 lb fresh English peas shelled
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend such as: asiago, provolone, mozzarella, fontina
- 1 finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp chives thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 2 cups arugula micro greens
- Parmesan cheese grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pancetta. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper-towel lined bowl to drain.
- Cook the peas. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, then add fresh peas. Cook for 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of cooking liquid, then drain. Return pasta to the pan.
- Make the sauce. Add mascarpone, ½ cup whole milk, 1 cup shredded cheese, and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta, then stir until cheeses have melted and a sauce has formed.
- Add tomatoes and herbs. Pour in finely chopped tomatoes, the cooled, drained peas, and herbs, then toss gently to combine. Add more reserved water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
- Serve pancetta pasta. Spoon generous helpings of pasta into serving bowls, then top each with a handful of arugula micro greens, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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This recipe was originally posted in December 2019 and has since been updated to provide better instructions, making it easier for you to recreate at home!
