When talking about comfort food, pasta dishes are way up there on the list of food that is not only easy to prepare, but everyone enjoys and crave.
Penne pasta, peas, and bacon. This quick, easy pasta dish takes as long as it takes to cook the pasta itself.

It is a savory combination of sweet green peas with crisp onions and bacon.
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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 your dish and will soon be your go-to dish.
In this Article
- Subscribe to Giangi's Kitchen!
- Meatless dinner?
- Can I use cheese with this dish?
- Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed
- Equipment needed
- Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions on how to make this delicious penne pasta recipe:
- Serve it piping hot and immediately.
- Substitutions and some extra notes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If you enjoy this Penne Pasta, Peas, and Bacon dish, look at some of my other recipes!
- Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon
Meatless dinner?
Yes, of course! Omit the bacon. Use olive oil and or butter to sautee the onions.
Add some sliced mushrooms. Rich and the perfect combination of bacon and heavy cream.
Fresh peas? Yes!! Cook them a little bit longer and make sure they are tender.
Can I use cheese with this dish?
Yes, of course, you can.
- 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.
But the French side of me, which adores cheese, likes to play havoc, thus adding pecorino and ricotta Salata to this dish.

Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed
Yellow onion – Sweeter and always add a layer of flavor to your dishes
Frozen peas – most accessible, and adding them to the pasta cooking water makes it effertlessy and gives that sweet flavor to your pasta
Bacon – I love thick slices that have more meat than the white fat part; sliced small will crisp up faster
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
Equipment needed
Please follow the link to access the product of your preference.
I only recommend what I use and love.
Large pot to cook your penne pasta
Large skillet to prepare your penne pasta sauce
Colander to drain your pasta
Perfect for cooking pasta and soups

Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions on how to make this delicious penne pasta recipe:
Have all the ingredients ready before cooking. This dish will be prepared relatively quickly, and you do not want to be around the kitchen.
- Use a large skillet for cooking 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.
- Always salt the water to boil your pasta in it. This will give your pasta that wonderful flavor instead of biting into a piece of salt when added after cooking.
- Cook your penne pasta al dente, meaning the pasta still has to have a bite when you test it. It will continue the cooking process when mixed with the creamy sauce.
- You do want to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water if you will have it creamier and do not want to add more heavy cream. The water contains the starch needed to be used with pasta.
- Use the bacon grease as it will give the best flavor to the onions when cooking together.
- I prefer to use yellow onions as they give out a rich flavor. White onions and shallots will work beautifully, too.
- Add the frozen peas to the cooking water halfway through the cooking process of the penne.
- I used penne pasta. However, conchiglie or orecchiette will do, also. You need a tubular or a cup type of pasta, so the sauce gets into the crevices and you enjoy it more.

Serve it piping hot and immediately.
The longer pasta sits, the softer it gets as the cooking continues.
Serve it in a large pasta bowl, as I have pictured here, or pour it immediately into large pasta bowls.
Let your guests add the amount of cheese they want over it.
As they say in Italy:
” 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.
Substitutions and some extra notes
- For heavy cream substitutes, mix some 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 substitution 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 want to add some garlic, go light with them. Too much garlic will change the flavor of this beautiful pasta, peas, and bacon recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ricotta salata?
Fresh milk flavored with a hint of salt and aged thirty days.
Can I use Ricotta Salata with this recipe?
Yes, but with a note of caution. When using ricotta salada, which in Italian means salted, do not overeat your dish until the last minute after you taste it.
Why penne pasta is the best?
Due to the round tubular shape and with diagonal cuts at either end, it is always served with dishes that have a thick, creamy sauce that penetrates the tube and holds the sauce well. It’s also a great pasta to use with baked dishes.
If you enjoy this Penne Pasta, Peas, and Bacon dish, look at some of my other recipes!
Penne alla Vodka – Perfection in A Dish
Ricotta, Arugula, Pine Nuts, and Penne Pasta – The Best!
Eggplant, Pasta, and Ricotta Salata – Summer in A Plate
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Penne Pasta, Peas and Bacon

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
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Pasta, Rice & Grains, Dinners
- Cuisine: Italian
- Season: Fall, Winter
- Type: Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Brianna Simmons
Creamy pasta with smoky bacon, what’s not to love? This recipe was a huge hit with my family and I’m already getting requests to make it again.
Giangi Townsend
So happy to hear that, thank you for sharing your feedback.
Enjoy!
Carrie Robinson
What a great idea for a pasta dish! 🙂 I am loving all of the flavor happening here too. I know that my family would love this.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Carrie. Enjoy!
Jen
I want to make this but my kids don’t like peas. Do you think broccoli would be good?
Giangi Townsend
Adding steamed broccoli can be fun. Just do it separately so they will not be too mush with your pasta.
Thank you for stopping by my page and enjoy!
Yu
What a comforting meal, and we all loved it! Simple, quick, and delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine, I am glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for stopping by my corner of the web.
Gloria
We love pasta. I happen to think the simple and rustic recipes are still the best. This is a classic for sure. My family will love it for dinner tonight. Thanks for the recipe. You can never go wrong with bacon in anything!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you! I believe bacon makes everything perfect 🙂
Enjoy!
Elaine
This is my favorite go-to pasta recipe. It’s so flavorful and easy to make. My family loves it.
Giangi Townsend
Wonderful! I am pleaased that you and your family likes it.
Enjoy!
Candise
This is my new favorite pasta, simple but incredible flavor! Thanks for the recipe!
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for making my recipe!
Hanna
Made this recipe today and the result turned out to be so goood! I love the taste of the bacon the most, it perfectly blends with the whole dish! Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Giangi Townsend
I am so happy you liked it and thank you for your kind feedback.
Enjoy!
Marley
The pea/bacon combo was new to me and I had my doubts, but I actually really enjoyed this! I’m not the best cook but it still turned out really good.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you for making my recipe and I am so pleased you enjoyed it.
I hope you will try more of my recipes.
Anna
I love how this Penne pasta was so quick and easy to prepare! Definitely one of my comfort foods. My family is asking me again to make it and I’m looking forward to it! Thanks for this recipe!
Giangi Townsend
You are most welcome and I am happy everyone enjoyed it.
Thank you!
Lizzy
I love the touch of cream at the end, it brings the perfect level of indulgence without being super heavy. This was an easy dinner that tasted like something you’d order out, we all loved it!
Giangi Townsend
Wonderful! Thank you for making my recipe.
Enjoy!
Sani
I tried this recipe yesterday and it turned out to be delicious. I used sharp cheddar which made the meal shine on the dinner plate!
Giangi Townsend
That sounds wonderful. Thank you for your feedback.
Enjoy!
Ang
I have made a similar version of this for years, with sausage instead of bacon and chicken broth and parmesan cheese instead of cream. I am excited to try it your way. Thank you.
Giangi Townsend
Your way sounds amazing too and I will give it a try. Enjoy my version and love to have your feedback.
Enjoy!
Cathy
Is the bacon fat to be
Drained off?
Giangi Townsend
Yes, some of it is. Thank you for bringing it up tmy attention
Rosa
Made this today,absolutely delicious I added Parmesan cheese
Giangi Townsend
I am so happy you enjoyed it and thank you for your feedback.
Christin
Hi
Can you use milk for heavy cream
Giangi Townsend
Hi Christin, Unfortunately, no, not the same consistency, and it will not whip up.
Giangi Townsend
Hi Christin,
yes you can, but make sure you put some corn starch or flour to thicken the sauce
Julia
Delicious recipe!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you.
Bernice
Such a tasty dish and so easy too! You had me at peas and bacon.
Erica Leigh
Bacon and peas are always a great combo in pasta. We did add some parm on top and it just took it to another level. We all loved it. So tasty.
Brianna May
Looks so good!!