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    Prosciutto Pasta with Peas and Parmesan Cheese

    Published: Feb 05, 2018 / 39 Comments

    64.0K shares
    • Facebook1.1K
    Recipe Print

    Prosciutto Pasta with Peas and Parmesan Cheese - simple and quick recipe, only 30 minutes from start to finish.  This easy, delicious, and very Italian pasta makes a perfect weeknight dinner!

    prosciutto pasta with peas on a white plate

    How to make prosciutto pasta

    The sauce for this prosciutto pasta recipe is made with just butter and shredded Parmesan cheese, no cream involved.

    • First, cook the prosciutto a little bit in the butter to release some of its juiciness and saltiness.   Add black pepper.
    • Then, add cooked and drained penne pasta and green peas.   (Note: Make sure to cook the pasta and the peas before you cook the prosciutto in butter.)
    • Next, add shredded Parmesan cheese and stir everything to combine on medium heat.  The cheese melts nicely around the butter and coats the pasta.  The cheese should melt just fine with all the butter but if you find the pasta and the sauce too dry, just add a small amount of reserved pasta water, only about ¼ cup, on medium heat.  But, really, you won't need to, most likely.
    • This is what your prosciutto pasta should look like with all this melted cheese and butter:

    prosciutto pasta with peas in a stainless steel pan

    What is prosciutto?

    Prosciutto is an Italian cured ham.  It is usually sliced very thinly. It has a buttery sweet and salty flavor that melts in your mouth.   If you want to learn more about prosciutto, here are two really good articles to read:  the Difference Between Bacon, Pancetta, and Prosciutto and What Is Prosciutto?

    What are the best ways to eat prosciutto?

    In Italy, it's usually served as an antipasto, alongside tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, or Burrata cheese, or a melon.  Italians love prosciutto in sandwiches.  It's often used in pasta.   It's also a popular topping on pizzas.

    Prosciutto is really delicious in pasta.  It's already so salty, you will likely not need to season your pasta with salt.  When your prosciutto pasta with peas is ready, sprinkle it with shredded or grated Parmesan cheese.

    Pasta with prosciutto and peas on a white plate

    Helpful tips

    • What pasta to use. Use any type of pasta you like. I find it easier to make this with short pasta, such as penne, bow-tie pasta (farfalle), or spiral pasta (fusilli).
    • What cheese to use. Parmesan cheese is an obvious choice. You can also use Asiago cheese or Romano.
    • What kind of peas to use. Use fresh green peas that are usually sold frozen. Do not use canned peas - those are quite different from what is needed in this pasta.

    How to store and reheat it

    • Fridge. Prosciutto pasta can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
    • Freezer. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
    • How to reheat. Reheat this pasta in the microwave oven for 1 minute, and it's ready to go!

    What to serve with it

    • Bread. Serve Prosciutto pasta with a slice of warm Italian bread, garlic loaf, or olive bread.
    • Add protein. Add grilled meat, such as chicken, pork, or steak to add protein to this meal and make it more substantial.
    • Salad. Make a simple salad to add healthy veggies. Good choices are simple spinach salad with pine nuts or arugula salad with parmesan and lemon zest.

    Other pasta recipes you might like

    • Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce
    • Spicy Chicken Pasta with Bacon and Peas
    • Chicken Bacon Zucchini Pasta
    4.82 from 83 votes

    Prosciutto Pasta with Peas and Parmesan Cheese

    Prosciutto Pasta with Peas and Parmesan Cheese - simple and quick recipe, only 30 minutes from start to finish.  This easy, delicious, and very Italian pasta makes a perfect weeknight dinner!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 527 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz pasta penne
    • 1 cup green peas frozen
    • 3 oz prosciutto
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper ground or freshly cracked
    • 1 cup Parmesan shredded
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions 

    • Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.  During the last 5-7 minutes of cooking, add frozen peas and continue boiling both the pasta and frozen peas for 5-7 more minutes.  Drain.  Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
    • Tear prosciutto into smaller pieces.
    • In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter on medium heat. Add the torn prosciutto and stir to coat it with butter, for about 1 minute.  Add black pepper.  Add another 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until melted.
    • To the skillet with butter and prosciutto add drained cooked pasta with peas.    Sprinkle ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over pasta.  Stir everything together on medium heat until the cheese melts.  If needed, add a small amount of pasta water (about ¼ cup) - but you might not need to.  
    • Season with salt, if needed.  Serve immediately, topped with the remaining ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Prosciutto Pasta with Peas and Parmesan Cheese
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    527
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    27
    g
    42
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    14
    g
    88
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    61
    mg
    20
    %
    Sodium
     
    719
    mg
    31
    %
    Potassium
     
    279
    mg
    8
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    48
    g
    16
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    3
    g
    3
    %
    Protein
     
    21
    g
    42
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    820
    IU
    16
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    14.5
    mg
    18
    %
    Calcium
     
    320
    mg
    32
    %
    Iron
     
    1.6
    mg
    9
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword Prosciutto Pasta
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandra Miller

      April 04, 2022 at 7:05 pm

      Totally cool. I'm working on great tasting recipes for my son and this is definitely one.

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 24, 2022 at 8:33 pm

        Sandra, your comment made my day! 🙂 I am so flattered!

        Reply
    2. Kait

      February 17, 2022 at 8:57 pm

      Awesome simple recipe. I used a full 12 oz box of gluten-free elbows, so a bit more pasta than called for, and I did utilize the pasta water for sauciness plus extra parm cuz that’s just what I like to do. The sweetness of the peas + the saltiness of the prosciutto is awesome. It only took about 20 minutes to make on the fly for a weeknight dinner. Love it.

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 18, 2022 at 12:24 pm

        Kait, thank you so much for such a kind comment! Glad you've enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Marianne Evans

      December 15, 2021 at 4:02 pm

      Loved it. But I made a change. I buy C&W petite peas and there is no need to precook them. They were fine popped right into the pan with the hot pasta. Definitely use all of the pepper called for. Perfect. I used more water and it was nicely saucy.

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 17, 2021 at 6:31 pm

        Marianne, thank you for such helpful feedback! I am glad you've enjoyed this recipe and took the time to share this wonderful comment! 🙂

        Reply
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