Diced onion, ham and peas are simmered in seasoned broth to create a healthy and delicious sauce. Pour it over pasta along with a generous scoop of shredded Parmesan cheese to create this 30 Minute Ham & Pea Pasta. This recipe is a great way to use leftover ham and there’s no need for sides because this simple recipe includes the veggie and plenty of protein. Weeknights are busy and this recipe keeps homemade cooking simple with basic, healthy ingredients.
Green peas are underrated.
I wouldn’t consider myself someone who follows trends. I mean sure, the occasional bag or pair of shoes but not when it comes to vegetables. Our culture definitely seems to focus on certain vegetables for a period of time. You’ll hear all about the nutritional value and see them in recipes and on restaurant menus and then before you know, that vegetables disappears and we’re off to the next. Kale definitely had it’s moment. Cauliflower was on trend for a bit as influencers turned it into rice and pizza crust and wings.
While green peas were on the dinner table weekly when I was a kid, they certainly haven’t been on trend in recent years. Why not? Peas have an impressive resume. They’re slightly more caloric than some other vegetables, but they’re also high in protein and fiber so they’ll keep you feeling full longer which means they could aid in weight loss. In addition to protein and fiber, peas are high in vitamin K, vitamin c, and iron, just to name a few. Plus, there is very little nutritional difference between fresh peas and frozen peas which makes them the perfect “middle of Winter” veggie. In this 30 Minute Ham & Pea Pasta, you’ll simply open a frozen bag of peas and pop them into the broth to simmer along with the other ingredients for budget-friendly added veggie nurtriants.
Try a delicious modification.
- Wine: Try substituting 1/2 to 1 cup of the chicken broth with dry white wine.
- Cream: For a creamy sauce, try adding about 1/2 cup heavy cream to the sauce after it’s simmered. Once you’ve added the cream, simmer until it thickens a bit.
- Vegetables: Try substituting the frozen peas for fresh chopped asparagus or fresh chopped broccoli. Add the chopped veggies during the last 4-5 minutes of simmer time.
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30 Minute Ham & Pea Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried elbow or fettuccine pasta To make this recipe gluten free, use a gluten free pasta. Tinkyada is my favorite because it remains firm is sauce.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced onions
- 2 cups chicken broth I really like Better than Bouillon in this recipe.
- ½ pounds ham thick cut, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 12 ounces frozen peas
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary optional but such a great fresh addition to the flavor
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper Taste and add more if necessary
- 15 ounce can of Cannellini beans or Garbanzo beans/chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 5 ounces Parmesan cheese grated. Freshly grated is best in this recipe.
- salt, to taste The amount you'll add will depend on the salt in the broth used.
Instructions
- Remove the frozen peas from the freezer and set them on the counter to defrost while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Drain the noodles but do not rinse them as the starch will help the sauce cling to the noodles. I like to prepare the noodles slightly al dente since they'll cook a little once they're combined with the hot sauce. If you're using rice noodles, I'd suggest adding a little oil to the boiling water. If you find they're sticking together, you can give them a quick rinse.
- Sauté the onions in the oil on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the ham and sauté for another 3 minutes.
- Add the broth, ham, thyme, rosemary sprigs, black pepper and beans. Bring to a boil and turn down the heat to medium-low. Simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes. Add the partially defrosted peas and simmer another 5 minutes on medium heat.
- If you used fresh rosemary, remove the sprigs from the sauce. Combine the pasta and sauce and stir to ensure the pasta is fully coated in sauce.
- Top each serving with a generous scoop of grated Parmesan.
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