Recipes Main Dishes Pasta Pasta Primavera Recipes Pancetta Primavera Rigatoni 4.5 (4) 4 Reviews 1 Photo This pancetta primavera rigatoni really is a tremendous bowl of pasta. Thanks to the pancetta, it's rich and decadent, but thanks to all the herbs and veggies, it's also fresh and vibrant. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on April 30, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 1 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Every year about this time, you’ll see lots of pasta primavera recipes popping up on the internet, like spring flowers after a rain (or weeds in my case), and they are almost always done vegetarian. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but the best way to make them not vegetarian is to add pancetta, also known as “Italian bacon,” and what results is a tremendously delicious bowl of pasta. This features the rare combo of something that’s rich and decadent, but also fresh and vibrant at the same time. And yes, you can use regular bacon for this, although as I mentioned in the video, bacon is smoked and pancetta is not. Besides deciding on which cured meat, if any, you can also add any other seasonal vegetables to this, just as long as you cook them ahead, or cut them small enough to cook in the pasta water. No matter what you use, I loved the balance between the pancetta, veggies, and herbaceous sauce, and I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy! More recipes: Try the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John! Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 8 ounces pancetta, diced 1/4 cup sliced green onions 8 ounces mezzi rigatoni pasta 1 cup shelled fresh English peas 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 cup Italian parsley leaves 1 cup basil leaves 1/2 cup packed mint leaves 3 cloves garlic, peeled 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese, plus more as needed Directions Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large pan, and set heat to medium. Add diced pancetta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is browned, and most of the fat has rendered out, 7 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove some pancetta and reserve to garnish the top if desired. Pour out some of the excess pancetta fat from the pan if desired, but leaving at least 2 or 3 tablespoons. Add green onions, and turn heat to medium-low. Sauté green onions for a few minutes to soften slightly, then turn off heat and reserve until pasta is cooked. While pancetta is cooking, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni, and set a timer for 2 minutes less than recommended cooking time for the pasta, or about 7 minutes for mezzi rigatoni. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile, combine parsley, basil, mint, garlic, lemon juice, and water in the jar of a blender or a cup; blend in the blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Set aside. When timer rings, stir in asparagus and peas and continue cooking for 2 minutes, or until pasta is done to your liking. Use a strainer to transfer pasta and vegetables into the pan with pancetta. Turn heat to medium-low and pour in herb mixture. Stir until combined. Season with salt, and drizzle in about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add about 1/4 cup pasta water, and stir over medium-low heat until everything is hot. Turn off heat, and stir in cheese. Taste for seasoning, and serve immediately. Garnish with more cheese, reserved pancetta, and more sliced green onions. John Mitzewich I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 574 Calories 44g Fat 30g Carbs 16g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 574 % Daily Value * Total Fat 44g 56% Saturated Fat 14g 71% Cholesterol 51mg 17% Sodium 339mg 15% Total Carbohydrate 30g 11% Dietary Fiber 5g 19% Total Sugars 4g Protein 16g 32% Vitamin C 43mg 48% Calcium 184mg 14% Iron 4mg 21% Potassium 515mg 11% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.