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Creamy tomato pasta with ham and Parmesan will be your new favorite dinner pasta recipe! Pink Pasta is the perfect blend of creamy and cheesy, with delectable bites of ham and orecchiette pasta.
You are going to love every bite of this amazing ham pasta recipe. Between the creamy tomato pasta sauce with Parmesan cheese and the salty bits of ham in every bite, it’s hard to choose your favorite part of this pink pasta!
Orecchiette Pasta Recipe with Ham
I’ve been making this pink pasta recipe for years now, and it’s one of my favorite dinner pasta recipes to make! The creamy Parmesan sauce and pretty orange-pink color make this a show-stopper I love to share with everyone.
My family is a big fan of this orecchiette pasta recipe, so I make it in big batches. Pink pasta makes great leftovers!
What is orecchiette?
Orecchiette is a round, shell-shaped pasta that is slightly small but holds creamy and chunky pasta sauce well thanks to its shape. The edges are a bit thicker than the middle of the pasta, which gives orecchiette its unique texture.
The name actually translates to “little ears” in Italian, and they do look like little ears!
Orecchiette pasta is one of my favorite pastas to use for creamy pasta recipes like this pink pasta! If you have yet to try an orecchiette pasta recipe, you have to try this pink pasta recipe.
I guarantee you’ll love it and want to use orecchiette for more recipes!
Pink Pasta Ingredients
- 12 oz. box Orecchiette pasta
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. minced garlic or garlic paste
- 2 cups diced ham
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Parsley for garnish
Shell pastas work best for this pink pasta recipe. They “cup” the creamy tomato pasta sauce well and catch a bit of ham in every bite.
Orecchiette pasta is my first choice (I love Orecchiette recipes!), but here are more options to choose from.
Other pasta types that go well with pink pasta:
- Conchiglie: This conch-shaped pasta would hold up well to the creamy pasta sauce. Make sure to get the small or medium size (not mini or jumbo).
- Pipe rigate: This snail shell-shaped pasta is perfect for creamy pasta sauces like the one in this pink pasta recipe. Thanks to its unique shape, it holds the sauce well.
- Cavatappi: Cavatappi is not a shell, being more like a macaroni noodle, but it has a fun, swirly shape that kids love. It’s a great choice if you’re serving this recipe for the family and want to make it even more fun!
Pink pasta is a perfect leftover ham recipe!
My favorite part about this easy orecchiette pasta recipe is that it’s a great way to use ham leftovers. After you cook up a ham for dinner, save and chop up the leftovers to use in this ham pasta.
You can also use store-bought diced ham such as Smithfield cubed ham.
How to Make Tomato Pasta Sauce for Pink Pasta
- Begin by cooking a 12 oz. box of Orecchiette pasta until it is slightly al dente – just a bit underdone. It will cook more when added to the sauce. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- Spread 2 Tbsp. olive oil evenly in a skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add 2 tsp. minced garlic (or garlic paste) to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of diced ham to the pan and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. The ham will literally start to “pop” and jump up out of the pan when it’s cooked enough!
- Add 1 cup tomato sauce to the skillet. Stir to evenly distribute.
- Pour in ½ cup chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Allow the mixture to simmer, occasionally stirring, for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Slowly and carefully add 1 cup half & half to the pan. Do this gradually and while stirring so it does not curdle.
- Stir to mix evenly for about 1 minute, then allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. When it begins to bubble, slowly add in 1 cup Parmesan cheese while stirring. Break up any chunks of Parmesan and evenly mix it all in.
- Sprinkle in salt & pepper to taste and stir to incorporate.
- Add in your cooked Orecchiette pasta slowly and mix together completely. Your pasta may have stuck together a little bit in the colander, so carefully break it up with a spatula as you’re mixing it in.
- Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese and parsley for garnish, serve, and enjoy!
How to Store Ham Pasta
Store this pink pasta recipe in an airtight sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Reheat Pasta with Creamy Pasta Sauce
- Reheat over the stove on low heat with just a small amount of water or chicken broth added. Stir occasionally.
- Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until it’s heated through, with a little bit of water to help it reach its original consistency.
What to Serve with Creamy Tomato Pasta
Serve this ham pasta recipe with a side of crusty bread or a simple green salad such as this Fresh Vegetable Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
Roasted veggies make a great side dish for creamy pasta. Try these favorites:
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Pink Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- Colander
Ingredients
- 12 oz. Orecchiette pasta box
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. minced garlic or garlic paste
- 2 cups diced ham leftovers or store-bought
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- salt & pepper to taste
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Begin by cooking a 12 oz. box of Orecchiette pasta until it is slightly al dente – just a bit underdone. It will cook more when added to the sauce. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- Spread 2 Tbsp. olive oil evenly in a skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, add 2 tsp. minced garlic (or garlic paste) to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of diced ham to the pan and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. The ham will literally start to “pop” and jump up out of the pan when it’s cooked enough!
- Add 1 cup tomato sauce to the skillet. Stir to evenly distribute.
- Pour in ½ cup chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Allow the mixture to simmer, occasionally stirring, for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Slowly and carefully add 1 cup half & half to the pan. Do this gradually and while stirring so it does not curdle.
- Stir to mix evenly for about 1 minute, then allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. When it begins to bubble, slowly add in 1 cup Parmesan cheese while stirring. Break up any chunks of Parmesan and evenly mix it all in.
- Sprinkle in salt & pepper to taste and stir to incorporate.
- Add in your cooked Orecchiette pasta slowly and mix together completely. Your pasta may have stuck together a little bit in the colander, so carefully break it up with a spatula as you’re mixing it in.
- Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese and parsley for garnish, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Slowly add the half & half and Parmesan so nothing curdles and it all mixes together well. Remember to lower the heat during this step.
- You can use store-bought diced ham such as Smithfield cubed ham or leftover ham for this recipe. Find a link to our recipe for delicious Honey Glazed Ham in the post!
Jacqueline Debono says
I also love orecchiette! Such a great pasta for chunky sauces. In Puglia, where it comes from, I’ve had it with small meatballs and tomato sauce. Very good! Your creamy tomato sauce looks good too. Going to add to my to make list!
Em Beitel says
Jacqueline, that sounds delicious! Totally agreed- orecchiette is perfect for sauces like this. I enjoyed it so much, I want to try it with other pasta dishes, too. Maybe I’ll have to try it with just meatballs and tomato sauce!
Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says
I love this pasta recipe! I’ve never heard of it referred to as pink pasta before, but oh the flavors in this recipe are so rich and delicious.
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Marlynn! This is one of my favorites.
Tawnie Kroll says
My new favorite pasta, so easy to make too! Thank you!!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Tawnie!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
It’s funny. I thought that I knew all the different types of pasta, but somehow there seems to be so many types I have never heard of. Definitely want to try this!!
Em Beitel says
I am always amazed by just how many kinds of pasta there are and everything you can do with it! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. It’s a delicious dish!
Pam Greer says
I have been saving some leftover ham and now I know what to do with it!! I love how creamy this is!
Em Beitel says
Perfect! Thanks so much, Pam!