This creamy penne pasta with peas and bacon is the kind of dinner I turn to when I need something delicious on the table fast. Sweet peas, crisp bacon, onions, and a touch of cream come together in just 20 minutes.

If you love quick pasta dinners with peas, my creamy pasta with peas, ham, and cream is another easy 20-minute favorite. For another quick penne dinner, this 20-minute creamy penne alla vodka is rich, comforting, and just as easy for a busy night.

Creamy penne pasta with peas and bacon served on a white ceramic decorated plate.

Recipe Overview: Penne Pasta with Peas and Bacon

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Servings: 4 people
  • Cook Method: Skillet. The pasta and peas are boiled while the bacon and onions cook in a skillet, then everything is tossed together with the cream.
  • Flavor & Texture: Creamy and savory with sweet peas, crisp bacon, tender onions, and perfectly al dente penne. The heavy cream brings everything together without making the pasta overly heavy.
  • Difficulty: Easy. With only a handful of ingredients and 20 minutes from start to finish, this is a simple pasta dinner even on the busiest weeknight.
  • Why this Recipe? Ready in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients, this creamy pasta with peas and bacon delivers plenty of flavor with minimal effort, making it perfect for a school night, a busy weeknight, or a last-minute dinner.
Key Takeaways
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It is a savory combination of sweet green peas, crisp onions, and bacon.

The heavy cream binds it all together, blending the flavors well. A wonderful savory dish that is perfect for any night of the week or a gathering with friends.

Last-minute dinner? This pasta recipe is yours and will soon be your go-to.

In this Article

Can I Make This Pasta Without Bacon?

Yes, of course! Omit the bacon. Use olive oil and/or butter to sauté the onions.

If you want to leave out the bacon completely, my quick meatless creamy mushroom pasta is another satisfying option for a busy weeknight.

Fresh peas? Yes!! Cook them a little bit longer and make sure they are tender.

A Note From Giangi

Ready in 20 minutes, perfect for a school night or a busy weeknight.

Simple ingredients: pasta, peas, bacon, onions, and cream do most of the work.

Sweet and savory. The sweet peas balance the salty, crisp bacon beautifully.

Easy to customize by changing the pasta shape, cheese, or protein depending on what you have.

Giangi

What Cheese Goes Best with Pasta, Peas, and Bacon?

Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese will do wonders; I just happen to choose not to use some. Please add as much as you like.

If adding cheese, add it when the cooked penne is poured over the heavy cream, peas, and bacon mixture.

Grind a couple of rounds of pepper over the whole dish for a deeper flavor.

Parmigiano Reggiano is my favorite cheese with any Italian dish. If you love peas with a cheese-forward sauce, try my creamy pasta with ricotta and peas, another simple Italian dinner that comes together quickly.

But the French side of me, which adores cheese, likes to play havoc, thus adding pecorino and ricotta Salata to this dish.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make this penne pasta with peas and bacon.

Yellow onion – Sweeter and always adds a layer of flavor to your dishes

Frozen peas – most accessible, and adding them to the pasta cooking water makes it effortless and gives that sweet flavor to your pasta

Bacon – I love thick slices with more meat than white fat; slicing thin will crisp up faster. Pancetta is a great substitute for bacon, a bit saltier. If you prefer pancetta, my Italian pasta with pancetta and Pecorino Romano is another simple way to enjoy that rich pork-and-pasta combination.

Penne pasta is my favorite; however, rigatoni, ziti, or orecchiette will also work.

Heavy cream – thickens when heated and acts as a binding agent to your pasta

Substitutions and Variations

  • For a heavy cream substitute, mix cream cheese with whole milk. The heavy cream acts as a binding agent with the richness of the bacon and peas.
  • Feta cheese can also be a good substitute for the ricotta Salata. However, you cannot grate it; you need to shave it into small pieces.
  • Use sausage meat removed from the casing to replace the bacon. If you decide to make the sausage substitution, my orecchiette pasta with sausage and tomatoes is another quick pasta dinner built around that savory combination.
  • Love mushrooms but want to keep the bacon? My linguine carbonara with mushrooms and bacon is another easy 20-minute pasta dinner.”
  • I prefer to use yellow onions because they have a rich flavor. White onions and shallots will work beautifully, too.
  • I used penne pasta. However, conchiglie or orecchiette will do as well. You need a tubular or cup-shaped pasta so the sauce gets into the crevices and you enjoy it more.
  • If penne is one of your favorite pasta shapes, you may also enjoy my penne with ricotta, asparagus, and prosciutto
Penne pasta surrounded by pease and bacon and a cream sauce served on a white pasta plate.

How to Make This Penne Pasta Recipe:

Have all the ingredients ready before cooking. This dish will be prepared relatively quickly, and you do not want to be in the kitchen.

Step 1: Cook your penne pasta al dente, meaning it should still have a bite when you test it. It will continue the cooking process when mixed with the creamy sauce. Halfway through cooking the pasta, add the frozen peas to the cooking water.

Chopped onion and bacon pieces are added to the skillet to be cooked.

Step 2: Use a large skillet to cook the onions and the bacon. The larger skillet will facilitate when you need to pour the pasta over and mix the sauce with the peas.

Bacon has been crisped and the onions are traslucent.

Step 3: Ensure the onions are translucent and the bacon is cooked.

You do want to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water if you want it creamier and do not want to add more heavy cream. The water contains the starch needed for pasta.
Cooked pasta is added to the bacon onion skillet.

Step 4: Drain the pasta and add it to the onion bacon mixture.

Heavy cream is added to the pasta skillet at low heat.

Step 5: Lower the heat to medium and add the heavy cream.

Step 6: Stir well, add more cream if needed, and serve immediately.

Finished dish of penne pasta with creamy pease and bacon.

Giangi’s Pro Tips

  • Always salt the water before boiling your pasta. This will give your pasta that wonderful flavor, rather than biting into a piece of salt when you add it after cooking.
  • Do buy extra lean bacon. You want the bacon flavor and to bite into that amazing, crunchy bacon when you enjoy this dish.
  • If your bacon renders way too much fat, please remove as much as you can, but do save some to create the sauce.
  • The longer pasta sits, the softer it gets as it cooks.
  • Let your guests add as much cheese as they want on top of it.
  • Have your whole family ready to enjoy this excellent savory dish piping hot off the stove.
    As they say in Italy: “ Pasta does not wait for you. You wait for it”

What to Serve with Penne Pasta with Peas and Bacon

This creamy pasta is quite satisfying on its own, so I like to serve it with something fresh and light on the side. A crisp salad or simply prepared green vegetable balances the richness of the bacon and cream beautifully.

My Tomato Arugula Salad is one of my favorite choices. The peppery arugula, juicy tomatoes, lemon, and balsamic vinegar add a bright freshness that pairs beautifully with the creamy penne. The salad also takes only about 15 minutes to prepare, keeping the entire dinner quick and easy.

For a warm vegetable, try my Easy Green Beans Gremolata. The crisp green beans with fresh parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice bring just the right amount of freshness to balance the salty bacon and rich cream sauce.

You can also keep things wonderfully simple with my Fennel, Tomato and Basil Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. Crisp fennel, juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and the bright lemon vinaigrette make a refreshing contrast to this savory pasta dish.

If you prefer a warm side, my Roasted Parmesan Asparagus is ready in about 15 minutes. The roasted asparagus adds freshness and texture, while the Parmesan ties in beautifully with the pasta’s Italian flavors.

Storage and Reheating

Store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Reheat: In a skillet, add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream and warm over medium heat.

Penne Pasta with Peas and Bacon FAQs

Can I use Ricotta Salata with this recipe?

Yes, but with a note of caution. When using ricotta salata, which means “salted” in Italian, do not over-salt your dish, wait until the last minute, after you taste it.

Why is penne pasta the best?

Due to its round, tubular shape and diagonal cuts at both ends, it is always served with dishes that have a thick, creamy sauce that penetrates the tube and holds it well. It’s also a great pasta for baked dishes.

Can I use fresh peas instead of frozen peas?

Yes, absolutely. Fresh peas are wonderful in this pasta when they are in season. Add them to the boiling pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking and cook until tender. Depending on how fresh and young the peas are, they may need slightly longer than frozen peas. Drain them with the penne and continue with the recipe as directed.

Close up of a fork with the pasta with bacon and peas. Ready to be enjoyed.

More 20-Minute Dinner Recipes

If you tried this Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

Penne Pasta with Peas and Bacon

4.99 from 210 votes
Penne Pasta with Peas and Bacon served in a white pasta plate.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Giangi Townsend
This creamy penne pasta with peas and bacon is the kind of dinner I turn to when I need something delicious on the table fast. Sweet peas, crisp bacon, onions, and a touch of cream come together in just 20 minutes.
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Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Halfway thru cooking the pasta, add the frozen peas to the water. Refer to package cooking instructions minus 1 minute so the penne pasta will be at dente.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium-high, and add the finely diced onions and the bacon. Cook until the bacon and onions are crisp but not burned. 
  • Drain the pasta and peas and add them to the onion bacon mixture. Lower the heat to medium and add the heavy cream.
  • Stir well, add more cream if needed and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Serve it piping hot and immediately.
  • The longer the pasta sits, the softer it gets as the cooking continues.
  • Let your guests add as much cheese as they want on top of it.
  • As the Italian says,  “Pasta does not wait for you. You wait for it.” Have your whole family ready to enjoy this excellent savory dish, piping hot off the stove.
  • Do buy extra lean bacon. You want the bacon flavor and to bite into that amazing, crunchy bacon when you enjoy this dish.
  • If your bacon renders way too much fat, please remove as much as you can, but do save some to create the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 15.5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

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