Spring Pea & Ham Pasta

My neighbor dropped off a container of leftover Easter ham at my door, and I stared at it wondering what to do with the thing. That same afternoon, I noticed the farmers market had the first truly sweet peas of the season, bright green and bursting with spring. It clicked right then—pasta, cream, a quick pan, and dinner would practically make itself. Twenty minutes later, my kitchen smelled like butter and happiness, and I understood why this simple combination has stuck around for generations.

I made this for my sister during a surprise visit last April, and she sat at my kitchen counter watching the peas turn that brilliant green. She asked what smelled so good, and I realized I hadn't even thought about it—just started cooking. That's when you know a recipe is right, when the steps become muscle memory and you're just enjoying someone's company while food happens in the background.

Ingredients

• Penne pasta (350 g / 12 oz): The tubes catch the cream sauce beautifully, but honestly, any short pasta works—I've used rigatoni in a pinch and nobody complained.
• Fresh or frozen peas (1 cup / 150 g): Fresh ones in spring are a dream, but frozen peas are actually fresher than most fresh peas at the store, picked and frozen at peak ripeness.
• Cooked ham (1 cup / 150 g, diced): Leftover ham from Sunday dinner, deli counter ham, even canned ham in a moment of desperation—the key is good flavor, not perfection.
• Heavy cream (1 cup / 240 ml): This is where the sauce gets its silky personality; don't skip it or cheap out.
• Unsalted butter (2 tbsp): Start here to sauté your aromatics without the distraction of extra salt.
• Grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup / 50 g): Freshly grated makes a real difference in how it melts and how the sauce tastes.
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced): This is your secret flavor amplifier, the thing that makes people ask what makes it taste so good.
• Onion (1 small, finely chopped): Softened onion adds sweetness and body to the sauce without being obvious about it.
• Freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp): Season as you go, not all at the end—you'll taste the difference.
• Salt (1/4 tsp, plus more for pasta water): The pasta water should taste like the sea; this seasons everything from the inside out.
• Fresh parsley (2 tbsp, chopped, optional): A handful at the end wakes the whole dish up with color and freshness.

Instructions

Get Your Water Ready:

Fill a large pot with water and salt it generously—you want it to taste like the sea. Bring it to a rolling boil before you add anything else, because pasta cooked in bland water tastes bland, no matter what you do after.

Cook the Pasta:

Add penne and stir occasionally so nothing sticks. When it's al dente (still with a whisper of resistance when you bite it), scoop out about half a cup of that starchy water before draining everything.

Build Your Flavor Base:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add your chopped onion. Listen for that gentle sizzle and wait about three minutes until the onion turns translucent and sweet.

Add the Aromatics:

Stir in your minced garlic and let it bloom for just a minute—you'll smell when it's right, that toasted garlic aroma that makes you hungry.

Warm Up the Ham:

Toss in your diced ham and let it sit for a couple of minutes until the edges get a little golden. You're not trying to cook it, just wake it up and let it blend with the other flavors.

Add the Peas:

Stir in your peas and cook until they turn that jewel-bright green. If you're using frozen, just heat them through—they'll keep their sweetness better than you'd expect.

Make the Sauce Silky:

Pour in your cream slowly while stirring, then bring everything to a gentle simmer. You're not boiling it hard, just letting it bubble softly while it thickens slightly.

Bring It Together:

Add your Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper, stirring until the cheese melts and disappears into the sauce. This is when you taste and adjust—trust your palate.

Marry the Pasta and Sauce:

Add your drained penne to the skillet and toss everything together until every piece is coated. If the sauce feels too thick, splash in some of that reserved pasta water a little at a time until it flows the way you like it.

Finish and Serve:

Remove from heat, scatter parsley on top if you have it, and serve immediately while everything is still hot and creamy.

Save Pin

My eight-year-old ate three full bowls of this without pushing anything around the plate, which in my house means I'd cracked some kind of code. She asked why it tasted so good, and I realized it was because nothing about it felt forced—cream, ham, peas, and butter are just meant to be together. That's the magic of cooking simple things well.

The Best Times to Make This

Spring is when this dish truly sings, especially right after Easter when you've got ham in the fridge and the farmers market has peas that taste like candy. But honestly, frozen peas mean you can make this in the middle of January on a gray afternoon and suddenly taste green growing things. I've also made it in early summer when I wanted something creamy but not heavy, and it hit the spot between seasons perfectly.

How to Make It Your Own

Swap the ham for roasted chicken or turkey if that's what's sitting in your fridge, or go vegetarian with crispy pancetta bits for smoke and salt. I've stirred in sautéed asparagus in early spring and baby spinach in late spring without changing a single other step. The backbone of cream, cheese, and pasta is strong enough to hold whatever vegetables or proteins you add, so treat this as a template rather than a rule.

What Goes With This

A simple green salad with lemon dressing cuts through the richness and feels necessary, not like an afterthought. A slice of crusty bread for soaking up the cream sauce is non-negotiable in my house, and a glass of crisp white wine—Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio—makes the whole meal feel a little more intentional.

• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightens everything up.
• If you have it, a pinch of nutmeg stirred into the cream just before adding the cheese adds a whisper of sophistication.
• Don't skip the parsley at the end, even if you think it's just for looks—it actually tastes good.

Save Pin

This is the kind of dinner that feels special without demanding much of you, the kind that reminds you why cooking at home matters. Make it, feed someone you care about, and watch how something so simple can turn an ordinary Tuesday into something worth remembering.

Recipe Help & FAQs

→ Can I use frozen peas instead of fresh?

Absolutely. Frozen peas work beautifully and often taste sweeter since they're picked at peak ripeness. Just add them directly to the skillet without thawing and cook until heated through.

→ What type of ham works best?

Diced leftover ham, thick-cut deli ham, or even a small ham steak cut into cubes all work wonderfully. The saltiness of the ham provides excellent flavor balance against the sweet peas and rich cream.

→ Can I make this lighter?

Yes, substitute half-and-half or whole milk for heavy cream. The sauce will be slightly thinner but still delicious. You can also increase the peas and decrease the ham slightly for more vegetables.

→ How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or pasta water to bring the creamy sauce back to life. The pasta will absorb some liquid as it sits.

→ Can I add more vegetables?

Certainly. Sautéed asparagus, baby spinach, or even diced bell peppers complement the flavors beautifully. Add them along with the peas so they cook until tender-crisp.

→ What other pasta shapes work?

While penne's ridges hold sauce beautifully, fusilli, rigatoni, or even short macaroni make excellent alternatives. Choose shapes with plenty of surface area for that creamy coating.