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Home > Recipes > Pasta

Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta

Published: Feb 22, 2021 • Updated: May 16, 2023 by: Mella • 5 Comments

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This creamy ham and cheese pasta is simple, easy, and delicious. You can make this in 30 minutes or less. Perfect for hectic dinner nights when there's no time to cook an elaborate meal.

Creamy and Cheesey Ham Pasta
Creamy pasta with Ham and Cheese

Creamy and Cheesy Ham Pasta

I'm actually calling this pasta for the picky eaters. Pasta, ham, cream, and cheese–I mean what's not to like? It's simple yet indulging.

And the best part? You don't need a lot of effort to make it.

What you need

This recipe calls for simple ingredients that can easily be substituted if needed. But there are 3 things that give the sauce an extra depth of flavor. So don't skip it 🙂

  • Pasta - you can use any pasta from spaghetti, fettuccine to linguine. It will also work wonderfully on most short pasta such as fusilli, bow tie, penne, and ziti.
  • Garlic - makes the sauce extra fragrant. I just love the flavor it gives to white pasta sauces.
  • Ham - use leftover ham or even deli ham.
  • Butter - adds flavor to the sauce but can also be substituted with olive oil
  • Heavy cream - best to use when making creamy sauce due to its rich consistency. See below for substitutes.
  • Chicken bouillon - to make the sauce flavorful i.e. not bland.
  • Italian seasoning - It is optional but highly recommended for added flavor.
  • Cheese - use parmesan or mild cheddar.

That is it!

Creamy ham and cheese pasta on a plate

Tips, substitutes, and add-ons

  1. Heavy cream can be substituted with milk or half and half. To give the sauce a creamy texture, you can add flour or cornstarch.
  2. Use low-sodium or organic chicken bouillon. I find that they give the best flavor for pasta sauces compared to regular chicken bouillon.
  3. Use the pasta cooking water instead of regular water. The extra starch helps thicken the sauce.
  4. Other dried herbs you can use are tarragon, parsley, and basil. Of course if fresh is available, use it with gusto.
  5. Make it "healthy-ish" by adding vegetables: broccoli, green peas, white and brown button mushrooms, portobello mushroom.

Need more easy dinner recipes? Try these...

  • Easy Chicken Spaghetti Recipe (No Bake)
  • Mushroom Pasta (made with canned soup)
  • Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce
  • Chunky Mushroom and Celery Soup
  • Sardines Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives
  • Creamy Garlic Pasta with Bacon and Mushroom

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Complete Recipe

Creamy ham and cheese pasta on a plate

Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta

5 from 2 votes
Creamy, cheesy ham pasta you can make in 30 minutes or less. Perfect for hectic nights when there's no time to cook an elaborate meal.
ServingsMakes (tap to scale):4 servings
preparation timePrep Time:10 minutes mins
Total cooking timeCooking Time:20 minutes mins
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Ingredients
 
Cups - Metric

  • 10 oz linguine (or other pasta)
  • 1 ½ cup ham (chopped)
  • 3 tablespoon butter
  • 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 ½ cup heavy cream (see note 1)
  • 1 cup pasta cooking water (add more as needed.)
  • 1 pc low sodium chicken bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
  • ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese or mild cheddar (grated)
  • parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Cook pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve about 2 cups pasta water.
  • Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Stir in ham and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Pour cream, pasta water, and chicken bouillon. Simmer until the bouillon is completely dissolved. Add cheese and simmer until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add pasta and toss gently in the sauce until coated. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
  • Garnish with parsley and more parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Notes and Tips:

Heavy cream - can be substituted with milk or half and half. To thicken the sauce, add 1 tablespoon of flour after slightly cooking the ham (step 2).
Author : Mella
Course : Main Course
Cuisine : Western
Keyword : ham pasta recipe, leftover ham recipe
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta
Amount per Serving
Calories
895
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
59
g
91
%
Saturated Fat
 
34
g
213
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
199
mg
66
%
Sodium
 
1182
mg
51
%
Potassium
 
430
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
59
g
20
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
33
g
66
%
Vitamin A
 
1799
IU
36
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
372
mg
37
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag @rivertenkitchen or leave a comment below!

Riverten Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna says

    May 01, 2023 at 2:28 pm

    I made this last night, added fresh basil and it was a big hit. Thank you for a tasty relatively easy recipe.I only had half n half, so look forward to trying cream next time.

    Reply
  2. Terry Akins says

    February 27, 2023 at 10:28 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight, we all loved it. Pretty much always have these ingredients so this is a new go-to for leftover ham.

    Reply
    • Mella says

      February 28, 2023 at 12:17 am

      Glad you enjoyed this, Terry!
      - Mella

      Reply
  3. linda says

    September 26, 2022 at 9:52 am

    I love one-pot recipes. This one looks easy to make and I love that I already have all the ingredients I need! Thanks for another great easy recipe to add to our family’s repertoire!

    Reply
  4. Anya says

    February 22, 2022 at 5:15 am

    5 stars
    My go to recipe if I wanted something quick, easy and delicious. I serve this with some garlic bread on the side! Yum! Thanks for the recipe Mella!

    Reply

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My name is Mella and welcome to my blog. Here I share Filipino, Asian, and many easy-to-follow recipes. Enjoy and happy cooking!

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