This all in one meal is a delicious combination of pasta with ham, peas, and just enough creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. It is a great way to use leftover ham and is sure to have everyone asking for seconds!
This pasta with ham and peas recipe is perfectly simple. It is a great way to use up some leftover crockpot spiral ham and turn it into a comforting and delicious meal!
There is just enough cream and Parmesan cheese to bring it all together and the peas add a nice bright pop of color and sweet flavor. It is so simple to make and is a dinner the family will love!
All it takes is a few warm days and for the grass to start to green up and my tastes start to change. After a long winter of soups, casseroles and braises, I am now ready for quicker, fresher and easier meals.
Peas are one of those early spring vegetables that is always a favorite. There is something about a pod of sweet peas straight from the vine.
You don’t even have to cook them. Of course, that is a taste that is hard to come by and it is a bit early for them. But really frozen peas are a good substitute.
Ham is another dish that says spring to me. It isn’t necessarily an obvious spring choice, but with Easter coming up there is soon to be plenty of hams on people’s tables. This Simple Pasta with Peas, Ham and Cream would be a delicious way to use some of those Easter leftovers.
I love how simple and flavorful this dish turns out. The smell of the butter, onions, garlic and ham cooking draws you in. Luckily at that point you are just a handful of minutes away from a delicious meal.
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Some dishes like this make a heavy sauce to coat everything. I wanted just enough cream to give a very light coating to everything.
To me the sweet fresh flavor of the peas and the salty savory ham should shine and not be masked by too much cream and cheese. Don’t get me wrong, I love cream and cheese, but in some cases moderation actually is better. I am not the only one that likes it just like this.
Not a single one of us was super hungry when we sat down to eat, but all three of us had seconds. I quickly packaged up the leftovers in lunch sized containers to keep it for myself. Lunch this week is going to be delicious!
Make it Saucier
As written, this pasta dish has just enough sauce to lightly coat everything. For a saucier pasta try doubling the cream and the cheese or just add a little bit more until it looks the way you want it to.
As you can see, this dish has become a spring tradition for us. If there is leftover ham around, this is bound to be on the menu.
Honestly, we eat it all year long! We always have frozen peas on hand, so any time there are some cubes of ham in the fridge this has a good chance of being on our dinner menu!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They reheat great and even taste good cold as a pasta salad type dish.
Creamy Pasta with Ham and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups ham cubed
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh or defrosted peas
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- salt and pepper
- optional: additional Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Boil 16 oz pasta and cook to al dente according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large pan melt 2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the 1 small onion, 2 cups ham, 2 cloves garlic and a pinch of black pepper and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
- Stir in ½ cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in ⅔ cup heavy cream. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in pasta and continue to simmer until pasta is coated. Add 2 cups fresh or defrosted peas, stirring to combine and then remove from heat.
- Sprinkle in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with an additional grating of Parmesan if desired.
Video
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You had me at creamy parmesan sauce
I know, right?!
This pasta salad with peas and ham looks and sounds fabulous.
Oh your poor daffodils! This pasta looks amazing. Creamy but not too heavy. Love it.
I'm always ready for a pasta meal! YUM! I love the pop of color from the peas. I think green peas are so under-rated and they add so much brightness to any dish. I can't wait to try this recipe.
I agree I don't like a salad with too much dressing. I like to be able to taste everything! I think that a small amount of dressing allows you to do just that! Thanks for sharing. Happy Spring.
I love pasta and peas. I make something really similar to this with bacon and peas and we love it. Thanks for sharing your recipe on Merry Monday.
Oooh, bacon would be good too!
That pasta looks great, I just love peas, I bet it'd even taste good cold.
I love peas this time of year too… after a whole childhood of thinking I hated them!
Definitely a great spring dish! Now that we are "finally" getting over our bug, I am starving and ready for some feel good food! Like this 🙂
I am so glad you are feeling better! This would definitely be a comfort after a bug.
Thank you!
I'm with you on loving the peas come spring. This dish is pure comfort.
Thank you!