Garlic Butter Ditalini Peas (Printable Page)

Ditalini pasta coated in garlic butter sauce with bright green peas, perfect for quick family dinners.

# 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)

# Steps:

01 - Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 10 oz of 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 4 finely minced garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
03 - Add 1 cup frozen peas directly to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and bright green.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, if using. Toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, and lemon zest if desired. Toss until cheese melts and ingredients are well incorporated. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Butter and garlic transform the most humble pantry ingredients into something genuinely craveable.
02 -
  • Never let the garlic brown—it happens in seconds and turns everything bitter, so keep the heat at medium and stay close.
  • That reserved pasta water isn't an afterthought; it's your secret to getting the sauce to coat everything instead of pooling at the bottom.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid is what transforms everything from separate ingredients into a cohesive, glossy dish.
  • Cook with medium heat and patience rather than high heat and speed; garlic becomes sweet and mellow when treated gently, harsh and bitter when rushed.
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