Use up that leftover ham and leftover mascarpone cheese with this Healthy Leftover Ham Pasta with Peas! It's a quick, easy, and delicious leftover ham recipe with a creamy sauce that's ready in 30 minutes! It's ideal for busy weeknights.
Made with pantry items such as canned tomatoes, canned mushrooms, frozen peas, and dried herbs, this recipe is an easy way to use up Picnic Ham or any ham leftovers! It's popular after holiday meals such as Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It pairs well with this Cucumber Kimchi recipe.
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Not sure what to do with leftover ham? Looking for more healthy ham recipes? Check out these healthy leftover ham ideas!
🥘Ingredient Notes
If you're looking for leftover holiday ham recipes, this one not only uses up that extra ham, but it uses pantry ingredients you're likely to have on hand, as well as frozen peas. And it's quick, easy, delicious, and done in 30 minutes! For this recipe, you'll need:
- Leftover ham. You can use any type of leftover ham.
- Pasta. I use fusilli pasta because spirals of fusilli are perfect for holding onto rich and creamy sauces. I also like the way it presents.
- Canned diced tomatoes and canned Mushrooms. These are both economical and convenient.
- Mascarpone cheese. This easy recipe also uses up leftover mascarpone cheese and makes this dish creamy and delicious!
- Frozen green peas. Frozen peas are economical, convenient and add a nice splash of color!
- Oregano and Basil. Dried oregano and basil are convenient and economical as well. I often use my air fryer dehydrated herbs from the summer.
*See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Creamy Cheese: Although you can use cream cheese instead (as the original recipe did). I just find mascarpone cheese a little smoother and less tangy than cream cheese; it's my favorite creamy cheese and works perfectly in this dish!
- Pasta: You can also use any pasta you like, including penne pasta or rigatoni. Longer noodles such as spaghetti and fettuccine don't work as well.
- Ham: you can use any leftover ham for this recipe, including slow cooker ham or spiral ham.
- Herbs: you could use fresh herbs, if you prefer but you'll need to double the amounts.
- Canned tomatoes and Mushrooms: you can use fresh if you prefer.
🔪How to Make Leftover Ham Pasta with Peas
- Step 1: Cook pasta in large pot as per package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, fry ham with onions until onions are soft.
- Step 3: Add chicken bouillon powder mixed with boiling water, then add tomatoes and garlic.
- Step 4: Whisk in mascarpone cheese and mix until incorporated.
- Step 5: Cook for 10 more minutes, then add frozen peas and canned mushrooms. Then simmer for another 3 mintutes.
- Step 6: Drain pasta and add to pan or simply mix the pasta and ham together in the serving bowl (or casserole dish) you plan to serve it in, as I did. Then add basil and oregano and stir it in.
- Step 7: Garnish: Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and basil.
Top Tip
Whenever I make one of my recipes with mascarpone cheese, like my No Bake Black Forest Tiramisu or my Raspberry Tiramisu Cutie Pies, I always have leftovers of mascarpone cheese. This recipe gets two birds with one stone because it uses up both my leftover mascarpone cheese and leftover ham!
I recently made My carrot cake doughnut muffins for a potluck and only used a very small amount of mascarpone, so this was the perfect recipe to use up the rest. Mascarpone cheese freezes really well, so I just left it in the freezer until I was ready to make this!
🥗 What to serve with Leftover Ham Pasta
You can't go wrong with serving Baguette Garlic Bread or Breadmaker Breadsticks with this Creamy Leftover Ham Pasta dish! If you're looking for something lower-carb, try my Greek Yogurt Cloud Bread! Veggie side dishes such as these Healthy Glazed Carrots (shown) also pair well with this recipe!
👪 Serving Size
This Leftover Ham recipe makes 6 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
❔FAQs about Leftover Ham
Ham that's stored in an airtight container can be refrigerated and eaten for up to 3-5 days.
You can freeze ham for 1-2 months if it's stored in an airtight container. However, keep in mind that freezing ham before or after cooking can alter flavor and texture. Any ham that's been frozen and then defrosted, might look and feel spongy, watery, and even taste a little saltier. It may not be ideal for serving as is, but is better suited for use in cooked dishes, such as soups, pizza, or casseroles.
I'm really a turkey girl when it comes to holiday dinners, but once in a while, I like to change it up and have ham at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. This recipe is perfect for those holiday ham leftovers as well.
If you are looking for healthy leftover ham recipes that you can make into a delicious meal, you can go waaay beyond ham and split pea soup and ham sandwiches, starting with this delicious ham and pea pasta!
However, if you want a delicious hearty soup too, try my Leftover Ham and Macaroni Soup!
🍲More Leftover Recipes
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📋 Healthy Leftover Creamy Ham Pasta with Peas Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 375 g - box of pasta (spiral, rigatoni, fusilli etc)
- 2 cups leftover ham, chopped into ½ inch cubes
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 28 oz - can diced tomatoes and juices 798 mls
- 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 500 g -bag of frozen green peas about 2 cups. defrosted
- 1 284 ml can of mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon basil
Garnish:
- parmesan cheese
- basil sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta, as per package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.1 375 g - box of pasta (spiral, rigatoni, fusilli etc)
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, fry ham with onions until onions are soft.2 cups leftover ham, chopped into ½ inch cubes, 1 onion, finely chopped
- Add chicken broth, then add tomatoes and garlic.½ cup chicken broth, 1 28 oz - can diced tomatoes and juices 798 mls, 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- Whisk in mascarpone cheese and mix until incorporated. Cook for 10 more minutes over medium-low heat.½ cup mascarpone cheese
- Then add frozen peas and canned mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes.1 500 g -bag of frozen green peas, 1 284 ml can of mushrooms
- Add pasta, basil, and oregano to the skillet and mix. Or at this point, you can simply mix them in the serving bowl you plan to use.½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon basil
Garnish:
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and basil.parmesan cheese, basil sprinkles for garnish
Crystal Cruz
Edit my initial review. My teens enjoyed this dish the day after and said it was even better. My youngest even said it was better than the pasta he devoured at Olive Garden. Wow! Thanks for making me seem like a great cook. Sprinkling basil and parmesan cheese upon serving was a good tip. Will def make again.
Terri Gilson
I'm glad your kids ended up enjoying it! It's definitely a favorite in our house!
Carol Whisnant
Hi Terri:
I made this recipe for dinner tonight using left over ham I had and it was delicious. My husband loved it too! To make the recipe even lower sodium I used 2 14.5 oz cans no salt added diced tomatoes and 1 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms instead of canned. I was just assigned to a low sodium diet so I am happy I can find tasty recipes like this one.
Terri Gilson
Hi Carol- I’m so glad you loved it! Great idea to make it even lower sodium! Thanks
Terri
Denise from Urb'n'Spice
I really like what I see in your Leftover Ham Pasta dish, Terri - it looks very good!. I must admit that I like to have leftover ham to use in dishes too (I use some in my mac and cheese). The use of mascarpone is so brilliant lending a creamy, rich flavour, I am sure. I think that your Pasta dish would be a fantastic potluck dish, too, wouldn't it? Thanks so much for sharing.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Denise! Yes, I agree - I would definitely take i tot a potluck 🙂
Kristen
I’m a sucker for great leftover recipes because I hate wasting food. Thanks for sharing.
Terri Gilson
Hi Kristen- thanks 🙂 Yeah me too - hate food waste!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
This is a great way to use up leftover ham Terri! We also go through food phases in our house, and it's usually when something is on sale. Ham was one of the items recently. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Sabrina
This is so good!!! Both my kids like it (minus mushrooms for one) and it’s so great on busy school nights. Thank you so much!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Sabrina! Glad they like it - my kids love it too!
Jo Vanderwolf
Oh my gosh! This sounds amazing. I have leftover ham from Thanksgiving to use up - I know how now! lol Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Terri Gilson
Hope you enjoy it, Jo! Yes, it's such a handy way to use up ham 🙂
Yvonne Langen
I love having creative ways to use leftovers that are so much more interesting than just reheating in the microwave. Thank you for this inspiration!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Yvonne! I know, I too, have grown so tired of boring old reheated ham over the years. Enjoy!
Jessica from Cooking in my Genes
What a great idea for leftover ham! Also your tip about freezing mascarpone cheese - so smart! Never would have thought of doing that.
Terri Gilson
Hi Jessica: Thanks and yes, freezing the mascarpone cheese was a revolutionary discovery for me - I always have some leftover!
Colleen
Yum! I love ham, peas, pasta & cheese all together. Pinning to make soon!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Colleen - I hope you enjoy it!