Description
This One Pot Ham and Pea Pasta is a creamy, comforting dish combining savory ham, tender pasta, and sweet peas in a rich cheese sauce. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. The recipe uses a single skillet to cook everything from sautéing the ham to simmering the pasta, making cleanup a breeze.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1.5 cups diced ham (or more if you like)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 6 cups chicken broth (plus extra as needed)
- 1 (12-oz) box uncooked pasta (linguine or shells recommended)
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
- 1 (5-oz) package Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs (or 4 oz regular cream cheese plus extra seasoning)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Sauté ham and garlic: Melt butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add diced ham and sauté for 1-2 minutes until slightly browned. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Make the roux and broth mixture: Reduce heat to low. Stir in flour and dried parsley continuously for one minute to form a roux. Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Increase heat and bring to a boil once, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook pasta and peas: Add uncooked pasta to the skillet, submerging it fully in the liquid (break linguine in half if needed). Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is almost cooked through.
- Finish cooking: Stir in the frozen peas and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, or until pasta is tender and the sauce becomes creamy. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Add cheeses and serve: Stir in the Boursin cheese (or cream cheese with seasoning) and grated Parmesan cheese until melted and combined. Serve immediately, optionally topped with chopped parsley, lemon zest, or red pepper flakes according to preference.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of ham according to taste or leftovers available.
- If the sauce gets too thick or the pasta isn’t fully submerged, add a little extra broth to maintain consistency.
- Cooking the roux low and slow helps avoid burning while fully cooking the flour flavor out.
- Stirring the pasta occasionally prevents sticking and helps even cooking.
- Optional garnishes like parsley, lemon zest, or red pepper flakes enhance flavor and presentation.
