Garlic Butter Ditalini Peas (Printable Version)

Tender pasta coated in garlic butter sauce and fresh peas for a simple, flavorful dinner.

# 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)

# Directions:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready faster than you can pour a glass of wine, which means weeknight dinners stop being a source of stress.
  • The garlic butter coats every little tube of pasta like it was meant to be there, making something this simple taste genuinely luxurious.
  • Your wallet stays happy while your family actually finishes their plates.
02 -
  • The frozen peas go in raw because they cook in the residual heat and stay bright—thawed peas turn to little gray disappointments.
  • That reserved pasta water is the difference between a dish that feels slick and composed versus one that feels dry and sad, so really do save it.
03 -
  • If you want to make this vegan, use quality plant-based butter and swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast or cashew cream—the technique stays exactly the same.
  • Cooking the garlic low and slow instead of hot and fast means it tastes sweet and mellow instead of sharp and aggressive, which changes everything about how the dish feels.
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