Want a great Creamy Ham and Pea Pasta to use up that leftover ham from the holidays? This is an excellent way to give life to leftovers again in a whole new meal. Perfect for spring with fresh peas or can be made any time with frozen.
Want more fast and easy pasta? Try our Chicken Sausage Pasta, Garlic Chicken Pasta with Proscuitto, or Paglia e Fieno (Straw and Hay Pasta). All are great for a fabulous meal. Another great spring option is our Italian Easter Pie.
Simple, comforting, and delicious is this easy recipe that won’t break the bank on calories either. I made the sauce creamy by not overusing the amount of cream and adding in chicken broth or vegetable stock to add to the volume of sauce. The bonus is that it is kid-friendly too.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Nonstick Sauté Pan with Lid – 5.5 Quart
Gourmet Acacia Roux Spoon, Wood
Measuring Cup and Spoon Set, 10 Measuring Cups & 6 Measuring Spoons
What Else is in Ham and Pea Pasta?
A whole new spring meal comes to life with leftover ham. This is an easy pasta dish with a few simple ingredients. Using spring peas will bring this dish to life, but frozen peas will work just as well too.
Ingredients
8 ounces Fettuccini
¼ cup butter
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp All-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable stock
½ tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
½ cup half and half cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 cups diced ham, thick-cut
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Parsley, chopped for garnish
How to Make Ham and Pea Pasta
This fast pasta recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and uses up leftover ham, so it is a win, win recipe. Don’t have leftover ham but still want to make this yummy cream sauce pasta? Then just ask the deli to slice your ham thick or use a large ham steak. Easy, peasy, and the dinner is on the table in no time flat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, cook the fettuccini as per the packaged directions to al dente and drain. Reserve some pasta water to possibly use later.
Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the flour and stir, cook for about a minute, then gradually stir in the chicken stock. Add the thyme and basil.
Cook, stirring constantly until well combined. Add the half and half and parmesan.
Continue to stir as the mixture thickens, 1-2 minutes. If it becomes too thick, stir in a little more half and half cream or pasta water.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cooked and drained fettuccini, and give it a slight stir, then add the ham and peas and stir to combine.
Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, making sure the peas and ham are heated through.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
What to Serve with Ham and Pea Pasta?
Want some great sides to go with this easy pasta dinner? Here are some of our favorites for spring or any time.
Fennel Asparagus Salad – This bright and fresh salad tastes like Spring in a bowl! Inspired by the simple salads of the Italian countryside, this dish showcases spring asparagus at its best.
White Braided Bread – Its scrumptious buttery crust pairs perfectly with the pillowy interior of the bread. Making homemade bread is a cathartic rewarding experience.
Classic Caesar Salad – A lovely homemade dressing is the best when it comes to this salad. Bright with garlic but not overpowering. Perfect to accompany so many dishes.
Air Fryer Easy Garlic Bread – Ooey-gooey cheesy garlic bread goes great with so many dinner entrees. It pulls together fast to create an unforgettable side dish that your family will love.
Honey Glazed Dijon Roasted Carrots – This vegetable doesn’t need a special event to be served; they are great any night of the week. With 5 minutes of prep work for this roasted carrot recipe, you know they can’t be beaten. Pop them in the oven and let the roasting take over.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Creamy Ham and Pea Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Fettuccini
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp All-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ tsp basil
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ cup half and half cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 2 cups diced ham thick-cut
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- Parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted water, cook the fettuccini as per the packaged directions and drain.
- Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the flour and stir, cook for about a minute, then gradually stir in the chicken stock. Add the thyme and basil.
- Cook, stirring constantly until well combined. Add the half and half and parmesan.
- Continue to stir as the mixture thickens, 1-2 minutes. If it becomes too thick stir in a little more half and half cream or pasta water.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked and drained fettuccini, ham, and peas and stir to combine.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes making sure the peas and ham are heated through.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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