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    Home » Italian Recipes

    Peas and Pancetta

    January 14, 2021 by angelakallison 6 Comments

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    Peas and Pancetta is a delicious and easy Italian side dish that comes together fast! Made with frozen peas, diced pancetta, and sliced shallots.

    Peas and Pancetta piled high on a white plate.

    This is the perfect side to dish to serve with your Italian dinner. Peas and Pancetta is a traditional Italian side dish that's so easy to make and such a crowd pleaser.

    If you've never had Peas and Pancetta, the name says it all! It's simply fried pancetta and shallots tossed with peas and seasoned with salt and pepper.

    This is an excellent recipe to serve for a brunch - it's great at room temperature. Or serve it on the side of your favorite Italian dinner, like Stuffed Shells or Italian Turkey Sausage Meatballs. Or, save it for a special occasion and serve with this Italian Roast Turkey recipe!

    So next time you are looking for a quick and delicious Italian side dish, be sure to try this recipe. Read on to see how quick and easy this recipe is.

    Overhead photo of peas and pancetta in a white dish with a checkered towel underneath.

    Peas and Pancetta Recipe

    This simple side dish comes together in minutes and is so simple to make. Plus, you only need a few ingredients for this recipe: frozen peas, diced pancetta, a shallot, and olive oil.

    bag of frozen peas, diced pancetta, olive oil, and shallot on a checkered napkin.

    Firstly, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add in the olive oil, diced pancetta, and sliced shallots. With the pancetta, you can often find it already diced in the deli section of the grocery store. You could also buy a 4 ounce slice of it from the deli and cube it yourself.

    bacon and onions in the pan.

    Cook the pancetta and shallots until the pancetta crisps up and the shallots soften. Then, add in the peas. They can be frozen or thawed. If using frozen, just add to the cooking time slightly.

    the recipe in a pan with a wooden spoon

    Lastly, add kosher salt and black pepper to taste. The pancetta can be salty so wait before adding salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Recipe Substitutions

    Pancetta may be difficult to find depending on where you live. However, it has become more common place at the grocery store. I like to use the pre-diced variety you can find in the deli section. Trader Joe's also has sells diced pancetta in their stores.

    If you can't find pancetta, diced bacon or thick prosciutto would be a good substitute. To make dicing these meats easier, freeze them for about 10 minutes before cutting.

    As for the shallots, you can always substitute about ½ cup of thinly sliced onion. Use sweet, white, or red onion if you have it.

    More Simple Side Dishes

    Be sure to check out these other simple side dishes that are great for any occasion:

    Broccoli Cranberry Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing

    Pinwheel Bread Rolls with Bacon and Parmesan

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

    Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

    Italian Roasted Potatoes

    Mashed Potato Casserole with Ricotta and Parmesan

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic

    Italian Tomato Onion Salad

    Hope you love this recipe! Be sure to comment if you try it.

    Peas and Pancetta piled high on a white plate.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 6 votes

    Peas and Pancetta

    This traditional Italian side dish is easy to make and comes together quick. Great served warm or at room temperature.
    Prep Time2 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    Total Time14 mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: peas, peas and pancetta, side dish
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 151kcal
    Author: Angela Allison
    Cost: 5-7

    Equipment

    • skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 ounces pancetta, diced
    • 1 large shallot, peeled and sliced thin
    • 16 ounce bag frozen peas
    • kosher salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add in diced pancetta and sliced shallots and cook until pancetta is crispy and shallots are browned; about 5 minutes.
      bacon and onions in the pan.
    • Pour in peas (frozen or thawed work). Continue cooking until peas are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.
      peas and pancetta

    Video

    Notes

    If you can't find pancetta, you can use diced prosciutto or bacon. Also, you can substitute thinly sliced onion for the shallot. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 151kcal
    Peas and Pancetta.
    « Italian Sausage and Lentils
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline Meldrum

      January 30, 2021 at 8:59 am

      5 stars
      What a colourful dish and I like that you used shallots.

      Reply
    2. Emily Liao

      January 30, 2021 at 9:42 am

      5 stars
      This is the best combo ever for a simple, yet tasty side! Loved the flavors and will definitely make pretty often.

      Reply
    3. Kushigalu

      January 30, 2021 at 9:59 am

      5 stars
      What a healthy and delicious side dish for dinner. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    4. veenaazmanov

      January 30, 2021 at 10:14 am

      5 stars
      Flavorful snack and delicious combination. Would love to make this platter for a party.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        January 30, 2021 at 5:19 pm

        Thanks! It's great for parties because you can serve at room temperature.

        Reply
    5. Memijnm

      January 03, 2022 at 12:30 pm

      5 stars
      I had everything on hand, except my shallot had seen better days, so used thinly sliced onion. Then I had some cauliflower and spinach gnocchi in the freezer I needed to use, so cooked that and sautéed it in when it was done. It was delicious both ways.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Angela, the recipe creator of This Italian Kitchen. Cooking alongside her Italian family, she grew up creating authentic meals and desserts.

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