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Home » Recipes » Pasta and Noodles

by Traci · Published: 12/26/2021 · Updated: 12/01/2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Ham and Pea Pasta Alfredo

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4.97 from 28 votes
25 minutes

This one-pot, creamy Alfredo style ham and pea pasta practically makes itself in 30 minutes. It's quick, easy, made for Instant Pot or stove, and loved by all!

creamy ham and pea pasta in black bowl with fork

Everyone needs a go-to recipe for pasta and ham, whether it's leftover holiday spiral ham, or lunch meat you have have on hand. This ham and pea pasta Alfredo is an Italian entree the whole family loves. It's a mostly hands-off, one-pot pasta made in the Instant Pot or stove in 30 minutes.

Just like Instant Pot chicken alfredo, the pasta cooks right in the broth and heavy cream, which releases starch into the pasta water and makes it naturally creamy.

Serve ham Alfredo with French bread and salad for the perfect family dinner.

Table of Contents hide
1) Key ingredients
2) Instant Pot instructions
3) Stove instructions
4) Recipe tips
5) Recommended one pot pasta recipes
6) Ham and Pea Pasta Alfredo

Key ingredients

Ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card below.

  • uncooked pasta - I used orecchiette but fettuccine, or any pasta noodle, will work.
  • chicken broth - or preferred cooking liquid.
  • heavy cream - other dairy liquid can be used once the pasta is cooked (see notes in the recipe card).
  • fresh garlic - or garlic powder (but fresh garlic is recommended)
  • Parmesan cheese - use grated or shredded
  • peas - frozen, fresh (or canned if you must)
  • cooked ham - use sliced deli ham or spiral ham leftovers
  • fresh parsley - this is optional but makes it prettier
ham and peas alfredo pasta ingredients in individual glass bowls labeled with text overlay

Instant Pot instructions

Cooking instructions are listed in the printable recipe card below.

  1. Add pasta, chicken broth, heavy cream, garlic, and pepper to the cooker.
  2. Pressure cook (see recipe for cook time) followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release.
  3. Stir in Parmesan cheese, ham, and peas.
  4. Serve warm and devour!
creamy ham and pea pasta in the Instant Pot with a serving spoon

Stove instructions

Cooking instructions are listed in the printable recipe card below.

  1. Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and pasta to a 3.5 quart soup pot or skillet.
  2. Boil until the pasta is al dente (about 10 minutes).
  3. Fold in ham and peas.
  4. Simmer until pasta is cooked to your liking.
  5. Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper.
wooded spoon scooping ham and peas Alfredo pasta in stainless skillet on gray background

Recipe tips

  • Use any cooked ham for this pasta recipe, including sliced deli ham and holiday spiral ham.
  • Any pasta shape can be used for this recipe. See the recipe footnotes for cooking time variations.
  • If heavy cream isn't an option, visit the recipe footnotes for instructions.
  • When reheating via microwave, stove, or oven, add splashes of liquid as needed to revive the moisture and creaminess of the sauce.
creamy ham and pea pasta in black bowl with fork

Recommended one pot pasta recipes

  • Taco Pasta [Instant Pot or Stove]
  • Vodka Chicken Pasta
  • Mushroom Stroganoff
  • Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
  • Skillet Tuna Casserole
creamy ham and pea pasta in black bowl with fork

Ham and Pea Pasta Alfredo

This one-pot, creamy Alfredo style ham and pea pasta practically makes itself in 30 minutes. It's quick, easy, made for Instant Pot or stove, and loved by all!
4.97 from 28 votes
Print Pin
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 1-cup servings
Author: Traci The Kitchen Girl

INGREDIENTS
 

This amount yields 6 cups and can easily be doubled in the 6 qt cooker

  • 8 ounces Orecchiette Pasta Shells, *see footnote for other options
  • 1 ½ cups Chicken Broth, or preferred cooking liquid
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream, also called heavy whipping cream
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, shaved, shredded, or fresh grated
  • ⅓ pound Cooked Ham, about 1 cup diced
  • 1 cup Peas, thawed (if frozen)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

Instant Pot Instructions (see stove instructions below)

  • Add PASTA, CHICKEN BROTH, HEAVY CREAM, GARLIC, and BLACK PEPPER to the Instant Pot. Press pasta under the liquid to submerge.
  • Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the "Sealing" position.
  • Select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" 2 minutes for thicker pasta (orecchiette, penne, rotini, elbow mac, etc) or 1 minute for thin pasta (such as medium shell pasta and spaghetti noodles).
  • When cook cycle completes, let the cooker sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural pressure release (NPR).
    Don't skip this step because the pasta is still cooking.
  • Carefully turn the pressure release valve to the "Venting" position to release any remaining steam.
  • Open the lid and stir in PARMESAN CHEESE until incorporated. Stir in DICED HAM and PEAS. Return the lid to the cooker and allow the indirect heat to warm it throughout.
  • Serve pasta warm, garnished with fresh parsley.
  • To store, allow to cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
  • To reheat, add a splash of liquid to revive the creaminess. Then reheat using the stove or microwave on medium heat, stirring as needed.

RECIPE VIDEO

Tried this recipe? I'd love your review!Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.

Traci's Recipe Notes

Stove Instructions
  1. Add PASTA, CHICKEN BROTH, HEAVY CREAM, GARLIC, and BLACK PEPPER to a soup pot or skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until shells are almost completely cooked, stirring as needed (7-10 minutes depending on type of pasta).
  3. Stir in PEAS and HAM, reduce heat to low and simmer until pasta is cooked to your liking, stirring as needed (3-5 minutes).
  4. Add PARMESAN CHEESE and stir to incorporate. For thicker sauce, add more cheese.
  5. Continue with item #7 in the instructions above.
______________________________
Pasta options: thicker pasta (orecchiette, penne, rotini, elbow mac, etc) and thin pasta (medium shell pasta and spaghetti noodles) have different cook times. See #3 in recipe instructions above. Note: All pastas are not created equal (thickness, starch, etc) so you may need to experiment to dial in your favorite pasta type.
If heavy cream isn't an option, substitute equal amounts of any non-dairy cooking liquid (to prevent curdling). Once pasta has cooked, whisk together 1 Tbsp corn starch and 1 Tbsp water to make a slurry. Add slurry to cooked pasta, turn on medium heat (on the stove) or "Saute" function (on the Instant Pot), then heat and stir as needed until the sauce thickens. Fold in Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

Equipment

  • chef's knife
  • cutting board
  • Microplane zester / grater optional
  • garlic press optional
  • 6 quart Instant Pot for pressure cooker method
  • 4-quart soup pot for stove method
  • stirring utensil

NUTRITION

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 631mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.

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Comments

  1. Dulcy says

    December 28, 2022 at 3:26 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious!

    Reply
    • Traci says

      December 28, 2022 at 10:58 pm

      Yay! Glad you enjoyed 🙂 Thanks for letting me know

  2. Carol Ennis says

    December 06, 2022 at 11:20 am

    Can this be frozen? We would like to have ready for emergency meals for our church members.

    Reply
    • Traci says

      December 06, 2022 at 7:53 pm

      Hiya, yes you can freeze this by letting it cool completely and storing it in an airtight container. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and, when reheating, add a little heavy cream or broth to revive the creaminess. You may also need to toss in a little parmesan cheese to thicken the sauce again. Let me know if you have other questions. Enjoy!!

  3. Janice says

    April 20, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    4 stars
    5 star rating for taste, it is really good. But, I gave it a 4 because of the technical difficulties, which could have been just me. Lol I used medium shells and did 1 minute cook time 10 min nr per instructions and I didn't think the pasta was done enough to my liking and it was still pretty liquidy even after adding cheese, ham and peas and letting it sit in the ip for @ 20 minutes. I ended up making another batch and did 2 minutes with 10 min nr and I liked it better. I will definitely double the recipe next time anyway so we have leftovers. Thank you for the great recipe.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      April 21, 2022 at 9:45 am

      You're so welcome and I'm glad you dialed it in. I'm surprised that happened with medium shells because I find those to be the quickest cooking (and easily overcooked) variety out there lol. But pasta brands vary so much, I need to add a note to the recipe, so thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it!

  4. Debi says

    December 26, 2021 at 11:08 am

    Is this Frozen Peas?

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      December 26, 2021 at 12:43 pm

      Yes, I usually use frozen peas for this recipe but you can use canned or fresh peas if you like. Enjoy!

  5. Lady Di says

    April 12, 2021 at 7:24 pm

    5 stars
    This has become one of my mainstay recipes. I originally knew it as Risi e Bisi which is the same dish but with white rice. I used deli honey ham for this recipe because it adds a touch of sweet to the savory.

    I wonder how to adapt this recipe for wild rice? Please let me know!

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      April 13, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      Awesome! So glad you're enjoying it 🙂 As for wild rice, that would be a completely different recipe ... one that I've never tried. Let me know if you decide to experiment!

  6. Al says

    December 27, 2020 at 7:42 pm

    5 stars
    This is our go-to leftover ham recipe, especially during the holidays. It always turns out perfect and I love how it's not heart-attack rich like you get from restaurant Alfredo, but still has great flavor. Winner every time!

    Reply
  7. Jeff says

    September 09, 2020 at 11:24 am

    5 stars
    I could eat this for days because it's so good every time I make it! I've used half and half (b/c it's on hand) OR heavy cream and either work great. I already can't wait to eat this again.

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      December 26, 2020 at 10:06 am

      Yay! I feel the sammmme way about ham and peas alfredo pasta! It's my favorite way to use up leftover ham after the holidays 🙂

  8. Kelly Martin says

    June 04, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    Can you use tortellini?

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      June 04, 2020 at 2:53 pm

      Sure!...and I'd cook it from frozen too (no thaw) with same cooking time as this recipe.

  9. Jenn says

    May 04, 2020 at 6:26 am

    5 stars
    Great, easy recipe! I was looking for a way to use up a small amount of leftover ham and this was perfect. I did it stovetop as I’m wary about instant pot pasta recipes. I doubled the recipe (4 cups of rotini was just smaller than my 375g box of pasta, so I just used the whole thing), fried up the ham at the beginning along with the onions (it was fatty chunk and I wanted to render some of the fat first), and I left the rotini very undercooked before putting the 18% cream and peas (and tiny chopped up pieces of broccoli and cauliflower) as I wanted the end result to be al dente. The whole family loved it! Thanks and I will be trying out some of your other recipes too 🙂

    Reply
    • The Kitchen Girl says

      May 04, 2020 at 7:08 am

      So glad to hear it, Jenn! Love the idea of rendering the fat first. Also love the cauliflower idea. Great choices! Thanks for the great review 🙂

  10. David says

    October 31, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! I love ham and peas together in a pasta dish. Definitely would like a plate of this right now!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      October 31, 2018 at 8:09 pm

      Cheers to that, David! 🙂

  11. Gabi says

    October 31, 2018 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    I'm a big fan of one pot meals and when you then combine leftovers in a delicious way like you did, you are my star! Your ham Alfredo pasta is the perfect dish for my hubby , thank you for inspiring me:)

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      October 31, 2018 at 8:09 pm

      Love hearing that, Gabi! Thanks for the vote...and I hope your hubby loves it!

  12. Kelly Anthony says

    October 31, 2018 at 1:45 pm

    5 stars
    Love the idea of repurposing Thanksgiving leftovers into a great meal. This sounds like a real crowd pleaser.

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      October 31, 2018 at 8:08 pm

      Thanks Kelly! Not too many people won't eat alfredo 😉

  13. kim says

    October 31, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    My whole family loves this.. even the picky kiddos! Thanks for the tasty recipe!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      October 31, 2018 at 8:06 pm

      You're so welcome, Kim. And yes...go kiddos!

  14. Lauren Vavala | Delicious Little Bites says

    October 31, 2018 at 1:20 pm

    What a great use of leftover ham! My go-to is always omelets, but I love this dinner idea and will be trying it next time I have leftovers!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      October 31, 2018 at 1:26 pm

      Yay glad to hear it! My other half goes crazy for this dish! 🙂

  15. Soniya says

    March 16, 2018 at 9:24 am

    I love one pot recipes and I am always looking for new ones!! This ham and peas Alfredo looks and sounds to delicious and easy to make and know that my boys will relish it!Thanks

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      March 16, 2018 at 10:06 am

      Awesome...love hearing that Soniya! Hope they do love it...thanks!

  16. Lisa Huff says

    March 16, 2018 at 8:24 am

    5 stars
    My kids are going to love this and I'm going to love sneaking some peas into their meal. 🙂

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      March 16, 2018 at 10:05 am

      Haha yay Lisa! I love sneaky ingredients...and the peas are my favorite ending to this dish 🙂 Hope they love it!

  17. Meredith Kauffman says

    March 16, 2018 at 7:15 am

    5 stars
    I love easy one-pot meals that reinvent leftovers! What a fun, and delicious sounding, recipe for leftover ham!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      March 16, 2018 at 10:04 am

      Thanks Meredith...it really is the perfect "leftover ham" dish. Hope you get to try it out 🙂

  18. Helene D'Souza says

    March 16, 2018 at 7:10 am

    Your one-pot ham and peas alfredo looks super tempting! I just prepared dinner. If I hadn't, I would have made this now. 🙂

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      March 16, 2018 at 8:29 am

      Haha love hearing that Helene! Let me know if you get a chance to try it out 🙂

  19. Lauren says

    March 16, 2018 at 6:59 am

    5 stars
    This looks so good, but also so easy! Perfect for a quick weeknight meal!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      March 16, 2018 at 8:26 am

      Thanks Lauren...love hearing that. It really is a quick weeknight meal 🙂

  20. Lisa says

    January 26, 2018 at 6:54 am

    5 stars
    This is exactly what I"m in the mood for today! I mean, alfredo is always a winner, but the peas and ham make it more of a meal! YUM!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      January 26, 2018 at 10:33 am

      Haha thanks Lisa...you'll LOVE using holiday hams for this too! 🙂

  21. Beth says

    December 16, 2017 at 11:58 am

    5 stars
    Yum! This looks like the perfect comfort food for a cold day! I love peas and ham together!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      December 16, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      Thank Beth! I'm totally with you on the ham and peas combo 😉

  22. Veena Azmanov says

    December 16, 2017 at 11:43 am

    5 stars
    I love one pot meals and this looks like the perfect one on week nights when I am busy!! My Kids love peas so definitely one for my family

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      December 16, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      Hey thanks Veena...yep the kids should love this one 🙂

  23. Luci's Morsels says

    December 16, 2017 at 10:05 am

    5 stars
    This would make the perfect, quick and easy, weeknight meal. I have to try this ASAP! Yummy!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      December 16, 2017 at 9:48 pm

      Thanks Luci...it is all of those things! 🙂

  24. Rae says

    December 16, 2017 at 9:40 am

    5 stars
    This looks so yummy and comforting, perfect for holiday leftovers.

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      December 16, 2017 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks so much Rae! It is the perfect leftover dish! 🙂

  25. Jane, The Heritage Cook says

    April 19, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    What a great way to use up leftovers and satisfy our cravings for good old-fashioned comfort foods!! SCORE!

    Reply
    • Traci Antonovich says

      April 19, 2017 at 8:36 pm

      Thanks, pal, this dish is my new addiction...it's insanely goooooood! Total score, indeed! 🙂

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