Pasta with Ham and Peas is a delicious way to use up leftover ham from the holidays! No leftovers? No worries! Just head to your grocery store and grab a ham steak and you’ll be good to go!
Leftover ham recipes are honestly one of our most favorite things about making a Baked Ham for the holidays! Use it to make this pasta recipe or our favorite Split Pea and Ham Soup, along with many more ideas that we’ll link to at the bottom of this post!
Pasta with Ham and Peas Recipe
We love turning leftovers into completely different recipes like this Pasta with Ham and Peas! You can really use any type of short tube pasta in this pasta dish, most any frozen vegetables too. Just add tons of chopped, leftover ham and you’ll be good to go!
Using shells for this pasta is a favorite way to make it because the shells grab on to and hold in all of the cream sauce so you get a pop of sauce in every bite. Just try it, you’ll see what we mean!
How Do You Make This Pasta Recipe?
Start by adding shallots and garlic to a large skillet, just to get the softened a little. Next add the leftover ham and frozen vegetables. For this pasta dish we’re using frozen peas and carrots, but you can use whatever type of vegetable you like!
Stir that around to heat up the frozen vegetables and cook them through. Next comes the delicious cream sauce! Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour into the skillet and then pour in heavy cream, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.
Let the sauce come to s simmer to thicken for a few minutes, and then stir in a few tablespoons of room temperature cream cheese just to give it a pop of flavor and a little more creaminess.
Once the sauce is done, pour it over your cooked pasta shells and dinner is done! Serve with lots of grated parmesan cheese and fresh black pepper!
Can You Make This Leftover Ham Recipe Ahead Of Time?
This is one recipe that I’m going to say, not really. The pasta does absorb the cream sauce as it sits, not making it bad or anything, just less saucy. When reheating this Pasta with Ham and Peas recipe, you can add a splash of cream to the bowl before you pop it into the microwave to create more sauce.
This recipe is also so easy to make, you really don’t need a lot of time to do it. Just about 15 minutes from start to finish!
What Other Vegetables Can I Use In This Pasta Dish?
If peas and carrots aren’t your thing, or if you don’t have them on hand, there’s plenty of other options for making this pasta!
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Spinach (fresh or frozen)
- Shredded Cabbage
- Chopped brussels sprouts
- Zucchini/Squash
- Green beans
- Diced tomatoes
What If I Don’t Have Any Leftover Ham?
Nothing to worry about! Like we mentioned before, just grab a ham steak or two at your grocery store, or even some thick sliced ham from the deli counter. Ham not your thing? You can also use leftover chicken or turkey! This Pasta with Ham and Peas recipe is so versatile, you can pretty much add whatever you want.
Just stick to the proportions in the recipe here and you’ll be good to go!
Looking For More Leftover Ham Recipes?
- Slow Cooker Ham & Noodle Soup
- Lentil Soup with Ham
- Crustless Ham & Broccoli Quiche
- Dill Pickle Ham Salad
- Navy Bean Soup
Pasta with Ham and Peas
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThis Pasta with Ham and Peas is a simple, comforting pasta recipe that kids and adults love! Great way to use up leftover ham or just grab a ham steak from the store!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces large shell pasta or other short tube pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped (You can start with one, if you like, we love the fresh garlic flavor in this pasta recipe!)
- 1 pound cooked ham, diced
- 10 ounce bag frozen peas and carrots
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste
- 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta. Cook according to the package directions and drain. Spray the bottom of the pot with non-stick cooking spray and then pour the cooked pasta back into the pot and cover to keep warm.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften, then add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. Add the leftover ham and frozen peas and carrots to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until the frozen vegetables are warmed through.
- Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and stir to combine until the flour is completely mixed in with the ham and vegetables. Slowly pour in the cream, stirring as you go. Add the parmesan cheese, stir and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until thickened, then stir in the cream cheese until it’s completely melted into the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine. Serve with more parmesan cheese and fresh black pepper if desired.
Recipe Notes
Add pasta in small batches at first to make sure the sauce is the consistency you like. You might not need all of the pasta, so do this in batches!
When reheating this pasta recipe, you can add a splash of cream to make it more saucy, as the sauce tends to absorb into the pasta as it refrigerates.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
