This one-pot, creamy Alfredo ham and pea pasta practically makes itself in 30 minutes. It's quick, easy, made for Instant Pot or stove, and loved by all!
Ham and pea pasta Alfredo is how you turn leftover ham into 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. The pasta cooks right in the broth and heavy cream just like my chicken Alfredo recipe. This method makes it creamy without needing to add more fat. 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 any pasta will work.
- chicken broth - or preferred cooking liquid
- heavy cream - other dairy liquid can be substituted as indicated in the recipe card
- fresh garlic - or garlic powder
- Parmesan cheese - use grated or shredded
- peas - frozen, canned, or fresh
- cooked ham - leftover holiday ham is perfect
- 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.
Ham and pea pasta recipe tips
- Use any cooked ham for this Italian pasta, including deli ham and leftover holiday ham.
- Any pasta shape will work for this recipe. See the recipe footnotes for cooking time variations, especially for the Instant Pot method.
- You can substitute other cooking liquids for heavy cream. Milk or half and half should not be cooked because they curdle, which changes the sauce texture. Instead, add it to the pasta once it has cooked via stove or Instant Pot. Use the saute function on the Instant Pot or medium-low heat on the stove to cook it down until the sauce thickens, stirring as needed. Then fold in Parmesan as a final step.
- To thicken Alfredo sauce, simply stir in more Parmesan cheese and splashes of heavy cream while heating and stirring, as needed.
- During reheat, add splashes of liquid to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
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
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
- One Pot Chili Mac [Instant Pot or Stove]
Ham and Pea Pasta Alfredo
This one-pot, creamy Alfredo 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
Ingredients
This amount yields 6 cups and can easily be doubled in the 6 qt cooker
- 8 oz Orecchiette Pasta Shells, or preferred pasta
- 1.5 cups Chicken Broth, or preferred cooking liquid
- ½ cup Heavy Cream, also called whipping cream
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, shaved, shredded, or fresh grated
- ⅓ lb. Cooked Ham, about 1 cup diced
- 1 cup Peas, thawed (if frozen)
- 2 Tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
RECIPE VIDEO
Equipment
- 11” skillet or 4 quart soup pot (if not using Insant Pot)
- stirring utensil
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- 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).
- 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.
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.
Serving, Storage, and Reheat Tips
- Serve pasta warm, garnished with fresh parsley.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- To reheat, add a splash of cream or broth to revive the creaminess. Then heat using the stove or microwave on medium heat, stirring as needed.
Tried this recipe? I'd love your review!Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.
Recipe Notes from TKG
Pasta cook time for the Instant Pot method
Thicker pasta (orecchiette, bowtie, macaroni, penne, rigatoni, rotini) should get 2 minutes pressure cook time with a 10 minute NPR.
Thinner pasta (like medium shells or spaghetti noodles) will need only 1 minute pressure cook time with a 10 minute NPR. FAQ: What can I use instead of heavy cream? If you're using the pressure cooker method and heavy cream isn't an option, an equal amount of other dairy or non dairy liquid can be used, but only later in the pressure cook process to avoid curdling. It's a tricky workaround and might take some practice, but I've detailed it for you:
Thicker pasta (orecchiette, bowtie, macaroni, penne, rigatoni, rotini) should get 2 minutes pressure cook time with a 10 minute NPR.
Thinner pasta (like medium shells or spaghetti noodles) will need only 1 minute pressure cook time with a 10 minute NPR. FAQ: What can I use instead of heavy cream? If you're using the pressure cooker method and heavy cream isn't an option, an equal amount of other dairy or non dairy liquid can be used, but only later in the pressure cook process to avoid curdling. It's a tricky workaround and might take some practice, but I've detailed it for you:
- Follow steps 1-5 above and simply omit the heavy cream.
- After step 5, stir in your cream substitute, press the "Saute" button, and heat everything in the pot until the pasta is thoroughly warmed and the liquid thickens slightly, stirring as needed. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Then press "Cancel" and proceed to step 6. You are welcome to add more Parmesan cheese, if preferred.
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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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!
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Venessa, hmmmm I'm not seeing this. Can you be more specific?
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!