Ham and Pea Pasta

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Creamy pasta with chunks of savory ham and tender sweet peas come together in less than 30 minutes for this pasta night favorite.

Pasta with Ham and Peas in skillet with towel underneath

Ham and Pea Pasta

We had a whole lot of ham left over after Thanksgiving and I could hardly wait to make a pasta dish with it. I love the salty bite of ham in contrast with cream and pasta.

While I highly recommend making the entire recipe as written, especially if you have a family of hearty eaters, the recipe can easily be halved for fewer servings. I’ve listed this as 8 servings, but my teenagers easily polished it off with second helpings.

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It can also easily be tweaked if you don’t quite have 4 cups of ham, three will still work. Have extra of something? Sneak it in, it will be just fine. The only part I stay fairly true to is the cream sauce. You do need the right proportions of thicker, cream and fat to make that work.

stainless skillet with Pasta, Ham, and Peas

Leftovers with teenagers in the house doesn’t happen often. I am getting sneakier and portioning out my lunch for the next day before the dish gets to the table.

Luckily, I managed to set aside a portion for my own lunch the next day and I’m happy to tell you that it reheats wonderfully.

I can’t imagine making a smaller recipe in the future. I’m just crossing my fingers to actually have more leftovers next time I make it. Perhaps I need to start saving back enough for two days of lunches.

cream sauce with wooden spoon in large skillet

Pasta with Peas and Ham

Regardless, the simple step-by-step directions have you building your sauce from a base of butter, garlic, and flour.

Simmer that with your Italian seasoning and heavy cream before adding the chicken broth. Start with two cups and if it is still too thick add a splash or two more.

Add the pasta, peas, and ham. Stir to combine over the heat just briefly to warm up the peas and ham. Then dinner is ready! It really is that easy.

angel hair pasta with cream sauce

Pasta with Ham and Peas

Peas and ham with pasta is a tasty way to use up those holiday ham leftovers with a few additional items listed below:

  • angel hair pasta
  • butter
  • garlic cloves
  • all-purpose flour
  • chicken broth
  • heavy cream
  • Italian seasonings
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ham
  • peas 
  • Parmesan
  • fresh Italian parsley
pasta and ham in skillet

Ham and Pea Pasta Recipe

  1. Cook and drain the pasta, according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in an extra-large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then sprinkle with flour. Whisk to combine and then drizzle in the chicken broth while continuing to whisk constantly.
  3. Slowly add the cream and the Italian seasonings. Continue to whisk until incorporated. Continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes, until thickened. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash more chicken broth. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, adjust the amounts as desired.
  4. Return the pasta to the sauce and toss well to coat thoroughly. Add the ham, peas, and Parmesan if desired. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Ham and Pea Pasta

Pasta and Vegetables

Pasta and vegetables are a fast, easy yet tasty option for dinner any night of the week. All of these dishes come together nicely in my favorite stainless skillet. I use this skillet every single day.

Broccoli Pasta with garlic, lemon, and Parmesan cheese is a light, flavorful main dish or a perfect side with grilled chicken or steak. Creamy mushroom pasta is cream sauce perfection with sauteed mushrooms, garlic, parmesan cheese, and spaghetti noodles.

Tender pasta with broccoli and mushrooms in a garlicky cream sauce is a quick dinner that my whole family enjoys.

The rich flavors of butter, garlic, and lemon come together with the earthiness of fresh asparagus to create a dish you will immediately crave again. I have never had leftovers when making this recipe.

stainless skillet with Pasta, Ham, and Peas

Ham and Pea Pasta

5 from 1 vote
Creamy pasta with chunks of savory ham and tender sweet peas come together in less than 30-minutes for this pasta night favorite.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

  • 16 ounces angel hair pasta
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
  • 4 cups cooked ham chopped into ½-inch pieces, about 1 pound
  • 12 ounces frozen peas about 2 cups
  • ¼ cup Parmesan OPTIONAL
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Cook and drain the pasta, according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in an extra-large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant and then sprinkle with flour. Whisk to combine and then drizzle in the chicken broth while continuing to whisk constantly.
  • Slowly add the cream and the Italian seasonings. Continue to whisk until incorporated. Continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes, until thickened. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash more chicken broth. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, adjust the amounts as desired.
  • Return the pasta to the sauce and toss well to coat thoroughly. Add the ham, peas, and Parmesan if desired. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
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Ham and Pea Pasta

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  1. Linda says

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner and it is FANTASTIC! This will be on our meal rotation! (Next time I may add finely chopped onion and a few red pepper flakes…)

    • Mary says

      Happy to hear that the pasta has become a staple in your household. It’s a recent favorite in ours as well. Adding some onion and red pepper sounds like a delicious idea.