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!
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.
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
Instant Pot instructions
Cooking instructions are listed in the printable recipe card below.
- Add pasta, chicken broth, heavy cream, garlic, and pepper to the cooker.
- Pressure cook (see recipe for cook time) followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, ham, and peas.
- Serve warm and devour!
Stove instructions
Cooking instructions are listed in the printable recipe card below.
- Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and pasta to a 3.5 quart soup pot or skillet.
- Boil until the pasta is al dente (about 10 minutes).
- Fold in ham and peas.
- Simmer until pasta is cooked to your liking.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper.
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.
Recommended one pot pasta recipes
- Taco Pasta [Instant Pot or Stove]
- Vodka Chicken Pasta
- Mushroom Stroganoff [Instant Pot or Stove]
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Skillet Tuna Casserole
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!
Print
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Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 1-cup servings
Equipment
- Microplane zester / grater optional
- garlic press optional
- 6 quart Instant Pot for pressure cooker method
- 4 quart soup pot for stove method
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
- Add PASTA, CHICKEN BROTH, HEAVY CREAM, GARLIC, and BLACK PEPPER to a soup pot or skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until shells are almost completely cooked, stirring as needed (7-10 minutes depending on type of pasta).
- Stir in PEAS and HAM, reduce heat to low and simmer until pasta is cooked to your liking, stirring as needed (3-5 minutes).
- Add PARMESAN CHEESE and stir to incorporate. For thicker sauce, add more cheese.
- Continue with item #7 in the instructions above.
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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Janice says
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.
The Kitchen Girl says
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!
Debi says
Is this Frozen Peas?
The Kitchen Girl says
Yes, I usually use frozen peas for this recipe but you can use canned or fresh peas if you like. Enjoy!
Lady Di says
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!
The Kitchen Girl says
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!