This Creamy Orecchiette with Bacon and Peas recipe is made with pasta, bacon, tender peas, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. It’s a tasty weeknight pasta dinner.
Pasta dinners are a staple in our house. Our kids LOVE pasta, so it’s good to introduce different ways to make it and this recipe is a keeper! My ten-year old son declared once “I must be more than half Italian, more like 80%!” because he loves pasta so much.
This pasta recipe is flavored with cream and bacon, which makes everything taste good! The broth is flavorful. Plus, you can double the broth to make this into a soup.
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Creamy Orecchiette Pasta with Bacon and Peas
What is orecchiette pasta?
In Italian, the translation means “little ears.” They’re small disc-shaped pasta that originated in southern Italy, which is where my immigrant parents are from.
Orecchiette is often used in soups or dishes with some broth. As with any other pasta, be sure not to overcook it.
Chopped Bacon
Chopped bacon is in this pasta dish. If you’re defrosting bacon to make this recipe, it’s easier to cut when it’s still somewhat frozen. The crispy bacon adds some texture to this dish and lots of flavor.
Bacon adds a good bit of flavor to this meal but, you can omit it to make the dish vegetarian.
Peas
I used frozen peas for this recipe but, you can use canned peas if that’s what you have. I do prefer the frozen peas because they are brighter and a bit more tender, unless you overcook them.
Here’s a close up of this dish. Doesn’t it look delicious? I added more grated Parmesan cheese on top because I love extra Parmesan cheese.
Instructions Summary
*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
First, cook the pasta. Meanwhile, cook the chopped onions and butter, add the bacon and peas followed by chicken broth, pasta water and cream. Then, add the drained pasta and add Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
That’s it! It’s very easy and a wonderful weeknight dinner to add some variety to your pasta dinners. Your family will thank you for that.
This pasta dish is simply delicious! It’s easy and quick enough to make for a weeknight dinner or be the pasta course of an Italian Sunday dinner.
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Creamy Orecchiette Pasta with Bacon and Peas
Ingredients
- 4 oz orecchiette pasta
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup chopped onions
- 4 strips bacon
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- First, cook the orecchiette pasta according to package directions. Be sure to salt the water (3 tbsp for two quarts of water.) Drain pasta when it's done.
- Meanwhile, add butter (1 tbsp) and onions (1/4 cup) to a medium saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes on med/high heat. Add bacon and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.
- Next, add frozen peas (two cups) to the bacon mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth (1/2 cup) and heavy cream (3/4 cup.) Cook for 9-10 minutes, covered.
- Then, add the drained pasta back into the pot in which it was cooked and add the pea and bacon mixture to it. Stir in the pasta water.
- Then, stir in grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) to the pasta.
- Last, add salt and pepper as desired.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you made this recipe don’t forget to leave a review!
Hi Lona. I had no trouble printing this recipe from my phone. Please try printing it in a different browser or screenshot it and send it to your printer. Let me know if you still have a problem. If it asks you to sign up for newsletter, just click the x to close the prompt and it should allow you to print it.
I like some of your recipes, but they can’t be printed out so not worth looking at
Hi Anne. I am sure on the amount of pasta listed. Do you feel it is too much or too little for this recipe? Have you made the recipe?
It’s not ‘making’ the orecchiette, it’s cooking the orecchiette. Are you sure on the amount of pasta?