This creamy ham and pea pasta is an easy 30-minute dinner made with leftover ham, frozen peas, Parmesan, and a simple homemade cream sauce.
This is a creamy 30-minute pasta dinner that turns leftover ham into a genuinely great dinner, with frozen peas and a simple garlic and white wine Parmesan sauce.
This recipe is the definition of family-friendly. It is sophisticated enough for grown-ups while being simple enough for kids. It is an all-around crowd pleaser.
My husband loves veggies but absolutely hates peas, but I love peas myself….tried this recipe and we both loved it! It’s definitely a keeper!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Great use for leftover ham
- Add in veggies with no chopping
- Simple but delicious cream sauce
- Family-friendly weeknight dinner
Ingredient Notes
- Ham: Using leftover holiday ham is ideal and budget friendly, but make this any time of year using a ham steak.
- Peas: Frozen peas make this a fast dinner. Add them without thawing.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan will make the sauce creamier than using pre-shredded cheese. Additionally, pre-shredded cheese can lead to a gritty rather than smooth sauce.
- White Wine: Use a dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) that you enjoy the taste of.
- Fettuccine: We love this with fettuccine, but a short cut pasta (like bow-tie or penne) would also work well. Check all of my tips for cooking pasta here: How to Cook Pasta.
How to Make Ham and Pea Pasta
- Cook the fettuccine in boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside. Check all of my tips for cooking pasta here: How to Cook Pasta.
- Make the sauce by sautéing the garlic in butter, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the white wine and bring to a boil. Whisk in the heavy cream and then the Parmesan cheese.
- Finally, toss it all together. Add the cooked pasta, frozen peas, and ham to the sauce and stir to combine. Enjoy while hot.
Using Leftover Ham
This recipe is ideal for leftover Easter or Christmas ham. Keep it in your back pocket for an easy post-holiday meal, but know that this is great all year long. What to know:
- You need 2 cups of ham cut into small cubes. That is about 10 ounces or 280 grams.
- Your leftover spiral honey baked ham is ideal for this recipe. Its flavor will work just great here.
- Frozen ham will work great in this recipe, just be sure to thaw it before using it and cut it to size.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it without wine: Replace the wine in this recipe with chicken broth and a small splash of lemon juice.
- Use a different pasta: Linguine would work just fine here, but you can go out of the box with a short cut pasta like bowtie, shells, or penne.
- Skip the fresh peas: While I love fresh vegetables, you will need to shell and blanch the fresh peas for them to work in this recipe, and those steps just isn’t worth it from a taste perspective.
- Swap to half and half: You can replace the heavy cream in this recipe with half and half, knowing that the cream sauce will be just a little less creamy.
How to Keep the Cream Sauce Smooth
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Pre-shredded cheese can make the sauce gritty.
- Watch the temperature. The sauce should be made over medium heat. Be careful not to have the heat too high.
- Reserve pasta water. Consider saving a cup of the pasta water before draining to add a splash or two to the sauce if it becomes too thick.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftovers of this ham and pea pasta recipe can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to four days.
When reheating, place in a large skillet over low heat. Add a few tablespoons of heavy cream to loosen the sauce, stirring to combine. Cover, stirring occasionally, until the dish is heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Please remember to only reheat the amount that you plan on eating. Leftovers should not be refrigerated more than once.
What to Serve With Pasta with Ham
If you make this ham pasta with peas recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Or tell me what you do with your leftover ham!
Recipe Video
Ham and Pea Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fettuccine cooked according to package instructions, see note
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup white wine see note for alternatives
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan plus more for serving, see note
- 2 cups cooked ham cubed
- 1 cup frozen peas do not thaw before adding
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a roaring boil. Add in 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package instructions.16 ounces fettuccine, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- While the water is coming to a boil, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until it has reduced by half. Whisk in the heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan and let the cheese melt.1/2 cup white wine, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/3 cup fresh Parmesan
- Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the pasta, ham, and peas. Top with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan if desired, and enjoy!2 cups cooked ham, 1 cup frozen peas
Notes
Holly Edman says
My husband loves veggies but absolutely hates peas, but I love peas myself….tried this recipe a d we both loved it! It’s definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad to hear it, Holly!
Julie says
We have made this soooo many times in the past month since we discovered the recipe! My two picky little girls actually eat it 😱 amazing!
This makes me so happy! Thank you for coming back to tell me!
Beverly says
Can this be made without the wine?
Yes! To replace the wine, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to a glass measuring cup and then fill it up to the 1/2 cup mark with chicken stock.
Chris says
Tried this tonight. Liked all the ingredients and the quick meal idea. The recipe calls for 3 TB butter but, in directions only mentions 2 TB. Not sure where I should add the third TB.
Did not thicken, ended up ended up adding 1/2 cup cream cheese.
With corrections, good meal.
Thank-you.
Thank you for catching that typo! It should be 2 tablespoons. The sauce doesn’t thicken the same way it would if you were to make a roux for example. If it simmers though, it will reduce down and become rich and creamy.
Ruth says
Hi…I made this and it is great…I cooked the pasta as directed on box. I did not have heavy cream…but 1/2 and 1/2 ( I like it room temp, so bumped it in the mic for15 sec.) So, then I used a large pan to saute the garlic and added the ham,and warmed it up a bit…threw in the peas, heated it a bit more…then tossed in the pasta…gave it a stir and turned the burner down…then just added the half and half and cooked it a bit to warm everything up…then I added as much parmeasan to make it creamy…do not over heat the parm…just til it melts and take off the stove and check for salt..I like a nice twist of fresh pepper…and you can sprinkle a little more parm when you serve…use the grated or grate your own…do not use the powdered parm in the green container.. I have also made this by frying up bacon, remove it and keep a little bacon grease and chop and fry onions…no garlic…then add the frozen peas and cook a bit ..then add pasta and proceed as above and add bacon back in at the end…I find the 1/2 and 1/2 is not as rich…and you can add as much parm as you need..to make it thicker, or richer…I do like honey ham with this. You can buy in the deli if you do not have left over…
Victor says
Thanks for the easy pasta recipes
You are very welcome!
Susan Masterson says
A great tasting substantial pasta dish that requires very little prep time. The ham and pea combination is a delight.
Thank you, Susan!