Ham Pasta Recipe

This ham pasta is a delicious dish made with ham and roasted walnuts, tossed in a light olive oil.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 611kcal

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook to desired doneness. I like mine cooked through but still a little firm. Drain pasta.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add in garlic, shallots and red pepper flake and stir until fragrant, do not allow garlic to brown.
Add in walnuts and cook until nuts become fragrant and smell toasted.
Stir in ham pieces and cook until ham is warmed through and begins to brown on the edges.
Toss in pasta and stir to mix. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add in additional olive oil if pasta seems dry.

Toast the walnuts – Don’t skip this step! Lightly toasting the walnuts in a dry pan brings out their flavor and adds the perfect crunch. See below for how to toast walnuts.
Use good-quality ham – Leftover holiday ham works beautifully, but any thick-cut ham will add great flavor.
Try different pasta shapes – Linguine works great, but penne, rotini, or spaghetti all hold the sauce nicely too.
Adjust the spice – Add more (or less) red pepper flakes depending on your heat preference.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil – A splash of good olive oil just before serving adds richness and shine.
Make it ahead – You can prep the ham and walnut mixture earlier in the day; just reheat gently and toss with fresh pasta before serving. You can also boil your pasta ahead, rinse and then keep refrigerated until ready to serve.