This Creamy Penne with Peas and Crispy Prosciutto is a quick and easy meal that can be on the table in less than 20 minutes! The penne pasta and peas are tossed in a Parmesan cream sauce and then topped with crispy prosciutto for the perfect mouthwatering bite.
As a lover of creamy pasta recipes, they make frequent appearances on our dinner table. Lightened Up Creamy Seafood Pasta, Creamy Orzo with Zucchini, and Lemon Parmesan Pasta with Spring Peas are just some of our favorites. This Creamy Penne with Peas and Crispy Prosciutto recipe I am sharing with you today is another one of those favorites.
It’s wonderfully creamy, perfectly cozy, and oh so-yummy! It’s also ready in 20 minutes! This is perfect for those busy weeknights, though this meal is fit for a date night too! Would you complain if your date served you this creamy dish?
I also love this dish because it is easy to whip up on a whim. I almost always have the basic ingredients needed for this pea pasta dish on hand and I bet you likely do too. That means making this delicious dinner is easy to do any night of the week.
The crispy prosciutto is a lovely, salty addition to this dish! If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily sub in bacon or leave it out of the dish altogether. In that case, I suggest adding lots of Parmesan on top of your dish to give it that extra kick!
Why we love this dish:
- It’s delicious! The sweetness of the peas, the saltiness of the prosciutto, and the creamy pasta sauce come together to make a delicious meal with a lot of flavor.
- I almost always have the main ingredients on hand. With the exception of prosciutto, most are basic ingredients you can find in any kitchen!
- It’s a really easy pasta recipe!
- This easy recipe makes a great main dish or side dish.
- It’s ready in 20 minutes!
Ingredients in Creamy Penne Pasta with Peas and Crispy Prosciutto
- Penne pasta: I love to use penne rigata for this recipe as the little ridges in the pasta help the sauce cling to them. If you wish to, you could substitute a different pasta shape as well. You can use other short pasta shapes like bow-tie pasta, fusili, or little shells. You can even substitute long noodles like linguine or fettucine in this simple pasta dish.
- Green peas: I use frozen peas which we always have on hand. The sweet peas take just minutes to cook so they get added to the boiling pasta just before it is finished. If you wish to use fresh peas, you can do that.
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil.
- Flour: Used with the oil to make a roux. This will help to thicken the Parmesan cheese sauce without needing to use heavy cream.
- Milk: I use milk in my creamy pasta recipes as cream isn’t something we tend to have on hand in our home. 2% is what I use but 1% or even whole milk can be used.
- Parmesan: added to the sauce to make it cheesy and delicious. Parmesan is my go-to and something I always have on hand but you could also use pecorino romano.
- Dried basil: I opted to use dried basil in the sauce but if you wish to use fresh basil instead, you may do so.
- Seasoning: salt and black pepper.
- Prosciutto: Salty prosciutto is fried up to make it nice and crispy. This adds saltiness and texture to this creamy dish. You can also replace this with cooked and crumbled bacon or even crispy pancetta if you like.
**Note: Ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.**
How to make this pasta with peas and prosciutto recipe
- Boil pasta and peas. Boil penne in salted water, according to package directions until al dente or desired tenderness. Add the peas in the last few minutes of boiling. Drain, reserving a little pasta water (1/2 cup). Return to pot.
- Make the Parmesan cream sauce. While the penne is cooking, in a saucepan or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, creating a roux. Then add the milk and basil, whisking continuously until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce. Pour the creamy sauce over the cooked pasta and peas and toss together. Add a little reserved pasta water if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the prosciutto. In a skillet, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and add the prosciutto slices, making sure not to overlap. If there is not enough room in your skillet, do this in batches. Cook them for a couple of minutes, flipping until it begins to shrivel up and get a little crispy. Remove it from the pan and let it cool. It will crisp up more as it sits.
- Serve. Plate the creamy pasta and then chop or crumble the prosciutto on top of the dishes. Add extra grated Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
Ways to make this dish healthier:
- Use whole wheat pasta for this dish. Even picky eaters will enjoy it smothered in creamy sauce!
- Replace the pasta with veggie noodles. Zucchini noodles (zoodles) are great as a low carb option.
- Add more protein to this dish. Grilled chicken breast and sauteed shrimp are two great options to go with this dish.
- Serve a smaller portion as a side dish.
- Add more vegetables. Sauteed zucchini, eggplant, and spinach are just a few options that could be added to this delicious dish.
Storing and reheating leftovers
Once cooled, leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. To reheat it, place it back in a saucepan with a little water or milk. Heat it over low heat to medium heat until warmed through.
This budget-friendly meal is a favorite here and loved by the whole family. It makes the perfect weeknight meal and I hope you enjoy it too!
-Cathy
Looking for more easy meals? You may also like:
Lemon Parmesan Pasta with Spring Peas
Easy Penne Pasta with Ground Turkey
Creamy Pesto Pasta
Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta
Creamy Penne with Peas and Crispy Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 3 cups penne uncooked
- 3/4 cup peas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 teaspoon more for cooking the prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan + extra for serving, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 slices prosciutto
Instructions
- Boil penne in salted water, according to package directions. Add the peas in the last few minutes of boiling. Drain, reserving a little pasta water (about 1/2 cup). Return to pot.
- While the penne is cooking, in a saucepan or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, creating a roux. Then add the milk and basil, whisking continuously until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Pour the cream sauce over the penne and peas and toss together. Add a little reserved pasta water if needed. Salt and pepper to taste.
- In a skillet, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat and add the prosciutto slices, making sure not to overlap. If there is not enough room in your skillet, do this in batches. Cook them for a couple of minutes, flipping until it begins to shrivel up and get a little crispy. Remove it from the pan and let it cool. It will crisp up more as it sits.
- Plate the creamy pasta and then chop or crumble the prosciutto on top of the dishes. Add extra grated Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
