Garlic Butter Ditalini Peas (Printer-friendly)

Tender ditalini in garlic butter sauce with bright peas, a quick and comforting Italian-inspired pasta dish.

# What You'll 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
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
11 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 10 oz ditalini pasta. Cook until just al dente according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Stir in 1 cup frozen peas and cook 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and bright green.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet along with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using. Toss well to fully coat the pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to moisten.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, and lemon zest if using. Toss until cheese melts and ingredients are well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples you probably already have, so no last-minute grocery run required.
  • The garlic butter clings to every tiny piece of pasta, making each bite ridiculously satisfying.
  • Frozen peas add sweetness and color without any prep work or guilt.
  • You can have dinner on the table in less time than it takes to scroll through takeout menus.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and ended up with a clumpy mess instead of a silky sauce.
  • Watch the garlic like a hawk because it goes from perfect to burnt in about ten seconds, and burnt garlic tastes bitter and ruins everything.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or it can seize up and turn grainy instead of melting smoothly into the sauce.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the garlic instead of mincing it, you'll get a finer texture that melts into the butter without any chunks.
  • Toast the pepper flakes in the butter for a few seconds before adding the garlic, it blooms the heat and makes the whole dish more flavorful.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet for an extra minute over low heat after adding the cheese, it helps the sauce cling even better.
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