Pasta e Piselli (Pasta and Peas)

Pasta e Piselli (Pasta and Peas) is a beloved one-pot meal from Naples, Italy that takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish. It features small bites of pasta and sweet peas bound together in a naturally creamy and slightly cheesy sauce.

(This post was originally published in June 2013, but was updated with a new recipe, new photos, and new content in 2023).

I first became obsessed with pasta and peas when frequently ordering lunch from a particular Italian eatery in Los Angeles. Their pasta e piselli (which was actually made with shells rather than the more traditional ditalini) was so simple yet so comforting and craveable.

More recently, one-pot pasta dishes have become especially popular. They take all different flavor profiles with fun and creative ingredients and cook everything (including the pasta) in the same pot. This Neapolitan pasta and peas recipe is like the OG version of that.

The recipe for pasta e piselli (sometimes simply called pasta piselli) includes some very basic and humble ingredients, and takes very little time to prepare. The finished product can be a cross between a pasta and a soup, and depending on personal preference can be served with less or more cooking liquid. Adjust the amount of water or broth used to tweak the brothiness of the finished product.

Ingredient notes

• Peas: This recipe can definitely be made with fresh peas as well, though with frozen peas it’s easy to make year round so that’s what I use. I generally don’t recommend canned peas. They never taste as good and feel mushy to me, but if it’s all you have you could certainly drain and rinse them and use them here.
• Pasta: Ditalini and sometimes tubetti are the most typical pasta shapes for pasta e piselli. I personally also love this dish made with small shells! You can use any similar sized small pasta shape, but note that the cooking times may vary.
• Water or Broth: You can easily make this dish with water instead of broth, but if you're not vegetarian, I think using chicken broth adds just a bit more flavor. You could also use vegetable broth if you'd like.
• Pecorino Romano Cheese: The dish is finished with grated pecorino Romano cheese. You can opt to use grated Parmigiano-Reggiano instead, but you may need to add a little more salt depending on your personal taste. It's a less salty cheese than pecorino Romano. Also, if you're vegetarian, plan to use a vegetarian version of this cheese to make this dish vegetarian.

How to make it

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add peas, salt and pepper, stir and cook for a couple more minutes.

Then pour in simmering water or broth and stir in the pasta.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat slightly to about medium-low. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.

Add more simmering water as needed if the pasta is absorbing it quickly but still not cooked through, or if you'd like a more saucy/soupy finish.

Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Do not drain liquid from the pasta e piselli. Stir in the grated cheese.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

Expert tips

Store leftovers for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat either in the microwave (preferred) or gently on the stovetop, adding a splash or two of water if needed.

Keep in mind that as your pasta piselli sits after it's done cooking, it will continue to absorb liquid. What starts out a bit saucy or brothy will eventually result in a drier (but still tasty) dish.

By adding simmering water or broth to the mixture, rather than cold liquid, you will avoid overcooking the peas. Adding cold water would require waiting longer for it to come to a boil. Also, cooking the pasta in the same liquid that the dish is finished in yields a naturally creamy result because of the starches released from the pasta while cooking.

Make sure to have some extra boiling or simmering water ready on the side in case you need to add it to your pasta and peas. If you have a stovetop tea kettle or electric kettle, this is a good opportunity to use it.

Optional: If desired, you can add chopped bacon or pancetta with the onions and cook them together.

Other recipes you may like

• Pasta alla Norcina (Creamy Pasta with Sausage)
• Bucatini Cacio e Pepe (Roman Cheese and Pepper Pasta)
• Pasta with Zucchini Sauce
• Älplermagronen (Swiss Alpine Macaroni and Cheese)
• Baked Pasta Bianca with Five Cheeses
• Healthier Veggie Mac and Cheese Primavera
• Easy Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas and Sun-dried Tomatoes

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