Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas is one of the easiest weeknight dinners to have in your recipe rotation! Only 8 ingredients and on the table in under 30 minutes, this basic cream sauce is a family favorite! Simple, quick and easy, this may just be your new go-to pasta!
Why We Love It!
- Everybody Loves Pasta Night! – Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas is one of our family favorite pasta nights. I traded notes with my Dad (an incredible cook!) when writing this recipe. He has made it and perfected it many times, along with its many variations. Perfect comfort food, we like to rotate a pasta night at least once a week! Above all, pasta is always kid-friendly, even if they do pick a few veggies out!
- It’s Basic Homemade Alfredo Sauce, not from a jar! - Heavy cream is the magic ingredient, and I always have it in my fridge. You don't need to buy jarred Alfredo sauce. Alfredo sauce is just reduced cream, flavored with garlic and Parmesan cheese. It's a perfect blank canvas to add different veggies and proteins. This is my favorite combination, a creamy bow tie pasta sauce with prosciutto, garlic and peas. However, the possibilities are endless! Try this Bacon Mushroom Green Bean Pasta too!
- Fast and Easy! – Simple bowtie pasta and peas are one of the quickest and easiest cooking nights of the week! On the table in under 30 minutes, so I often save this recipe for the busiest days. In the time it takes you to boil the pasta, the sauce is ready!
- If you Love this Recipe, be sure to check out my my other weeknight favorites like this Prosciutto Spaghetti with Olives and Artichokes, this One Pot Baked Tortellini with Italian Sausage, and Sausage Orecchiette Pasta with Peppers and Spinach!
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Ingredients
- Farfalle Pasta - Farfalle (bowtie pasta) is my favorite for this dish because those little nooks and crannies grab the cream sauce so perfectly. But, this pasta with peas recipe is extremely versatile and any pasta shape will work! Make it different every time with penne, cavatappi, orecchiette, rotini, medium shells or any short pasta. You can also use linguini, fettuccine or even a refrigerated ravioli or tortellini.
- Butter - Butter is the base to saute the veggies and gives flavor to the cream sauce.
- Red Bell Pepper - Sliced red pepper adds great flavor and nutrition. But you can certainly make this vegetable Alfredo with other veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.
- Prosciutto - An Italian salt cured ham, prosciutto is absolutely delicious in this dish! You can find it packaged at the grocery store, or try asking at the deli counter. They can often shave you the 6 slices you need for this recipe for cheaper than the packages. Ask them not to put paper between each slice, for how little prosciutto weighs and how much it costs per pound, you are paying more for the paper than for the meat!
- Garlic - Garlic is a classic flavor in this creamy prosciutto pasta sauce, and mincing your own fresh garlic is the best!
- Salt and Pepper - This sauce is simply seasoned with just salt and pepper. Nothing fancy needed, the prosciutto and veggies provide great flavor.
- Heavy Cream - The magic ingredient in this Alfredo with prosciutto pasta! Heavy cream keeps well in the fridge for about a month, so it's an ingredient I like to always keep on hand! As it cooks, it reduces and turns creamy. Yep, that's all an Alfredo cream sauce is, flavored and reduced heavy cream!
- Frozen Peas - I love pasta and peas because it is such an easy way to add another vegetable. Throw a bag in the freezer, they thaw right in the sauce, and are just a great add-in for faralle pasta.
- Parmesan Cheese - You can't have cream sauce without Parmesan cheese! That finishing flavor is what makes the dish! I have found the best quality and often the best price is to buy a block and shred it yourself. It keeps in the fridge for months.
Instructions
Step 1 - This simple sauce can be made in the time it takes to boil water and cook your pasta.
Start by setting your pasta water to boil, salt it and cook your pasta following the time on the package.
Meanwhile make your sauce. In a separate large pan or pot, large enough to toss the pasta with the sauce, melt butter and saute the peppers and prosciutto about 5 minutes.
Step 2 - Next, add in your garlic and season with salt and pepper. Then, add the cream and reduce the heat to low, allowing it to simmer and reduce until your pasta is ready.
Step 3 - BEFORE you drain the pasta, use a coffee mug, ladle, or measuring cup to pull out a cup or so of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining it. This will be used to finish the sauce.
Finally, add in your peas, drained pasta, and Parmesan cheese and mix really well with the burner still on low. At this point, you can serve the pasta as is, or you may want to add ¼ cup of the pasta water to stretch the sauce.
As the pasta sits, it thickens. The pasta will absorb the sauce making it dryer. As this happens, add more starchy water to compensate.
You may need to add more pasta water and give it a good stir when you come back for a second helping!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Starchy Pasta Water - Get in the habit of pulling out some of that liquid gold, starchy cooking water before you drain your pasta. It's the secret of sauce making! As your cream continues to cook and reduce, you can add a bit of the starchy water to thin it back out.
- Variations & Substitutions - Red bell pepper and peas can be changed to spinach, tomato, asparagus, zucchini, artichokes or broccoli. You will just need to judge how long the vegetable you've selected should be cooked. Veggies that need more time, like zucchini or broccoli, can be sautéed longer at the beginning. Quick cooking veggies, like spinach, can be tossed in with the cream towards the end.
- Changing up the protein can also be a great way to create different dishes from the same recipe method. You could start the dish by fully cooking bulk Italian sausage, shrimp, or bacon in place of the prosciutto. Leftover cooked chicken could be added in with the cream. My dad always grills 3 Italian sausages to slice and add to the sauce at the end. This is a great way to feed more people or make sure you have leftovers for lunch.
- Storage - Store leftover prosciutto pasta in the fridge for up to 3 days and microwave or reheat on the stove. Does not freeze well.
- Serving Suggestions - Pasta always goes well with a simple green salad with an Easy Vinaigrette. Try these favorites:
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Prosciutto is a cured ham, meaning it's not really raw. You can eat it as it comes or cook it. It is delicious uncooked on Italian Subs with Giardiniera or crispy on Zucchini Mushroom Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto!
Yes, you can easily freeze prosciutto! You can use chopped frozen prosciutto in this bowtie pasta, no need to thaw.
Creamy pasta will continue to reduce, thicken and then dry out the longer you simmer it. Pull out a cup or so of the starchy water from boiling your pasta before you drain it. Use a coffee mug, measuring cup or ladle. Then add this starchy water a little at a time to your cream sauce as it dries out. The starchy water can be used to adjust the sauce as it sits.
You can use half & half if it's all you have, but your sauce will not be as creamy. Milk really won't work for a cream sauce, unless you add a couple tablespoons of flour to your sautéing vegetable to form a roux to thicken the milk. Heavy cream really is the best for this creamy Alfredo sauce.
More Favorite Pastas!
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Creamy Farfalle with Proscuitto and Peas
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 pound farfalle pasta (bowtie) could substitute any short pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 6 slices prosciutto roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 grinds fresh black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- ½ to 1 cup pasta cooking water reserve before draining
Instructions
- In a pot, set water to boil for pasta. When boiling, add a pinch of salt and cook according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. BEFORE draining, reserve a cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. A coffee cup, measuring cup, or ladle works well to dunk in a pull out the water.
- Meanwhile, in the time it takes to cook the pasta, make the sauce. In a large round bottomed pan or pot, big enough to toss the pasta with the sauce, melt butter over medium heat. Saute bell pepper and prosciutto about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add cream and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until the sauce starts to reduce and thicken and the pasta is ready, about 10 minutes.
- Add the frozen peas, drained pasta, and Parmesan cheese to the sauce and mix well to combine with the burner still on low. Add in the reserved pasta water a ¼ cup at a time as needed to reach the desired consistency, (total about ¼ to 1 cup). Turn off the heat and serve with more Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Reserve the Starchy Pasta Water - Essential to sauce making, pull out the starchy water before you drain the pasta! As the pasta sits, the sauce continues to thicken, add more pasta water as needed. You may go back for a second helping and find you need to add a bit more. You may end up adding anywhere between ¼ to 1 full cup. If you forget to save your pasta water, add a little more cream or milk if the pasta becomes too dry.
- Recipe Variations - Red Bell Pepper could be substituted with ½ cup jarred roasted peppers or really swapped with any veggies you like. Change up the protein by subbing or adding grilled sliced chicken, shrimp or Italian sausages.
Dave R says
One of my favorites. I grill sweet Italian sausages, slice the into 1” rounds and add them at the end. Thanks for posting. You are the best.
Nora says
Going to try your recipe next week! Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Shilpa says
Great recipe. Is there something I can replace prosciutto with?
Meryl Downing says
Yes! You can start the dish by cooking bacon or bulk Italian sausage. You can also grill sausage links and add them in sliced at the end. You could add cooked chicken at the end. Or add more veggies and leave it vegetarian. Hope that helps!
DIABROWAK says
Yes...
You can use regular ham from the deli.
And
Pancetta as well.
Natalie says
Such a lovely weekday family dinner. Looks delicious. I will give your recipe a try.