Giada De Laurentiis’ Quick 2-Step Spring Pasta Recipe You Must Try!

Raised by a Sicilian aunt who was practically my second mother, I cherish memories of times spent together in her kitchen or at her seaside eatery. These experiences nurtured my love for Italian cooking shows and recipes, like the creamy Pastina With Peas and Carrots by Giada De Laurentiis, which has become a springtime staple at my house.

Although it’s a breeze to make and requires just a few basic ingredients, it’s a significant upgrade from the typical boxed mac and cheese my children often crave (and they seem to prefer this Italian twist even more). So with the arrival of spring, or whenever we’re in the mood for a cozy, single-pot dish, I opt for this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.

Crafting Giada De Laurentiis’ Pastina With Peas and Carrots

The preparation steps Giada provides are quite simple: sauté onions and carrots in olive oil and broth until they soften; stir in frozen peas to heat them up; then mix in the al dente pasta, blend in the cheeses, season to taste, and serve garnished with fresh basil.

I stick closely to Giada’s method, but I make sure to take out the mascarpone and cream cheese from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before starting, so they soften and blend more smoothly later on.

First, I get a large pot of salted water boiling. Meanwhile, I chop the carrots and onions, and heat up a pan with several generous splashes of my favorite Heraclea everything oil.

The onions are added first to the pan, and once they’ve softened, in go the carrots and broth, cooking until everything is tender. I usually opt for vegetable broth since my daughter prefers vegetarian options, and it tastes just as delightful as using chicken broth, which is Giada’s choice.

It’s tempting to use a frozen mix of peas and carrots, but I find that the carrots never taste as fresh and tend to turn mushy quickly. Since carrots and peas are in season in the spring, it’s best to use fresh versions of both, although Giada and I both prefer to use frozen peas for their convenience, adding them just before the pasta to keep them bright and firm.

While any pasta shape would technically work, Giada’s recipe specifically mentions “pastina,” which is Italian for “little pasta” and typically used in what many call “penicillin soup.”

I have a preference for small, twisty pasta shapes like gemelli, which capture the cheeses in their curves beautifully. This happens in the final step when you stir the pasta into the pan with some of the pasta water, along with the sweet mascarpone and tangy cream cheese, coating all the ingredients richly.

The outcome is so tempting that I often find myself sneaking tastes straight from the pan. Nonetheless, with a bit of restraint, I manage to serve it in bowls topped with fresh basil leaves, then it’s time to say mangiare and enjoy the meal with my family.