Garlic Butter Ditalini Peas (Printable)

Ditalini pasta tossed in garlic butter and sweet peas for a simple, comforting dish ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10 oz ditalini pasta
02 - 6 cups water
03 - 1 tablespoon salt

→ Sauce

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
06 - 1 cup frozen peas, unthawed
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
11 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and ditalini pasta. Cook until just al dente per package instructions, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
03 - Add frozen peas to skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and bright green.
04 - Add drained pasta to skillet with black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon zest if desired. Toss until cheese melts and ingredients are combined. Adjust seasoning as needed and serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have, so theres no last minute store run.
  • The garlic butter clings to every piece of pasta in a way that feels indulgent but takes almost no effort.
  • Frozen peas add sweetness and color without any chopping or prep work.
  • Its ready in twenty five minutes, which means you can feed everyone before the hunger meltdown starts.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water, that starchy liquid is what helps the butter and cheese turn into a silky sauce instead of a greasy puddle.
  • Keep the heat at medium when you cook the garlic, high heat will burn it before it has a chance to bloom and youll end up with a bitter sauce.
  • Frozen peas should go in straight from the freezer, thawing them first makes them soggy and dull.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the Parmesan and lemon zest, it melts faster and distributes more evenly than chunky shreds.
  • If you like extra garlic flavor, add a second round of minced garlic at the very end so you get both the mellow cooked garlic and a sharper raw note.
  • Save any leftover pasta water in a mug, you can always add more if the sauce tightens up while you eat.
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