Pasta with Ham and Peas (No Cream)

Creamy pasta with ham and peas tossed in a bright parmesan sauce made without heavy cream. A 20-minute weeknight dinner for leftover or deli ham!

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword pasta, pasta with ham and peas

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 451

1 pound pasta of choice, such as fettuccine, spaghetti, penne, corkscrew or bowtie
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups small-diced ham
2 garlic cloves, minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoon creme fraiche (or cream cheese)
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 cups frozen-defrosted sweet peas

Bring a large pot of salted boiling to a strong boil. Add the pasta, stirring to avoid sticking. Cook until just under al dente, about 2-3 short of the package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the ham and saute until lightly crispy and browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the ham to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
Turn the same skillet to low, add garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice, and stir to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
When pasta is just under al dente, carefully remove ½ cup water and set aside, then drain the pasta.
Turn the skillet heat up to medium, add the pasta, along with the pasta water, salt, and creme fraiche or cream cheese. Simmer on low for 1-2 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.
Add the ham, peas, and parmesan cheese, and cook an additional 1-2 minutes for the peas to warm through and the pasta to absorb the remaining sauce. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
Serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and parsley if desired.

Optional serving suggestions: red pepper flakes, chopped fresh parsley.
Creme Fraiche: The key to this creamy pasta without using cream. You can substitute it with cream cheese, or ricotta or whipped cottage cheese for added protein. Or use dairy free cream cheese or ricotta for a dairy free version.