Garlic Butter Ditalini Peas (Printable Version)

Tender ditalini coated in garlic butter and sweet peas for a quick, satisfying 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, plus extra for serving
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
11 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and ditalini pasta. Cook until just al dente according to package instructions, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
03 - Stir in frozen peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and bright green.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Toss well to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if mixture appears dry.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon zest if using. Toss until cheese melts and ingredients combine. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can actually relax before dinner instead of panicking at 6 PM.
  • The garlic butter coats every tiny piece of pasta, making something so humble taste genuinely indulgent.
  • Frozen peas cook right in the pan—no extra step, no timing drama.
  • It stretches gracefully; add chicken, bacon, or keep it vegetarian, whatever your fridge holds.
02 -
  • Don't brown the garlic—even a hint of brown turns it bitter and ruins the entire dish. Keep the heat at medium and watch it like you're waiting for someone to pick up the phone.
  • That pasta water isn't an afterthought; it's liquid gold. The starch helps the butter and cheese create a proper sauce instead of just coating the pasta loosely.
  • Taste before serving. Sometimes you need a touch more salt, sometimes more lemon, sometimes just more pepper. Your palate knows what your batch needs.
03 -
  • Buy good butter—since it's the star here, you'll taste the difference between grocery store standard and something with real cream and salt.
  • If you can't find frozen peas you love, blanch fresh peas for just two minutes, shock them in cold water, and use those instead; the flavor will be noticeably brighter.
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