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Ham pasta with creamy sauce and garnished with grated cheese, served on a white plate.
Creamy ham pasta sprinkled with fresh cheese, perfect quick meal for the whole family.

Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
This dish proves that you can create something majestic from few ingredients. The secret lies in the emulsion: the meeting of starch-rich pasta water and heavy cream creates that silky sauce that coats the pasta instead of running off it.
🕒 Prep Time 10 mins
🍳 Cook Time 10 mins
⌛ Total Time 20 mins
🍽️ Servings 5 servings
🔥 Calories 580 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot (for boiling pasta)
  • Wide skillet
  • Grater

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Bring water to a boil. Once boiling, salt generously and cook the pasta to 'al dente' (firm to the bite). Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water!

Tip: The pasta will fully soften in the skillet, so it's important not to overcook it in the water, or it will fall apart. (Absorption).
2 ✓

While the pasta cooks, dice the ham and chop the garlic. Melt the butter in a skillet and toss in the ham.

Tip: Sauté the ham a bit to get a more intense, roasted flavor. (Maillard reaction).
3 ✓

Add the garlic to the ham and sauté for half a minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let it brown!

Tip: Garlic has a high sugar content; it burns suddenly and becomes bitter.
4 ✓

Pour in the cream and add about 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water. Bring to a boil.

Tip: The starchy water helps the cream and butter form a creamy, stable emulsion so the fat doesn't separate.
5 ✓

Dump the drained pasta into the sauce, toss, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce coats the noodles. Season with salt and pepper.

Tip: The pasta surface absorbs the sauce at this point, making it truly flavorful.
6 ✓

Sprinkle with grated cheese when serving; the heat of the pasta will melt it.

Tip: Always add the cheese at the end so it doesn't clump in the sauce.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the pasta get dry?
You probably cooked it in the sauce too long, and the pasta absorbed all the moisture. In this case, add a little water.

Ingredients

  • 14 oz Dry Pasta (e.g., Penne or Fusilli)
  • 7 oz Cooked Ham or Deli Ham
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream (or Half-and-Half)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
  • 2 oz Grated Cheese (Gouda or Swiss)