Pasta makes a quick, easy and filling meal, but pasta dinner ideas seem to be either tomato or heavy cream based sauces. This easy pasta recipe is a quick dinner idea with a no tomato pasta sauce you can make all in one pan in under 30 minutes! This simple pasta recipe is sure to become a new staple  easy pasta dishes the whole family will love!

Easy Pasta Recipe

Our family loves pasta for a quick meal! Not only is it filling and easy-to-make, but it is inexpensive too. With the rising cost of groceries, cheaper meals matter to most families. Mom’s Easy Ham Pasta Recipe is not only inexpensive to make, but such a simple pasta recipe too! All you need for this quick pasta recipe are a few simple materials that mix together in one pot. Plus this light and refresing no tomato pasta sauce is sure to be a hit with kids and adults as well.

Simple Pasta Recipe

All you need to whip up this quick dinner recipe are a few simple materials:  Jump to Recipe

• 1 lb box of pasta – any kind will do, my kids love the bow tie pasta
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olie oil
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 10 slices Canadian Bacon or leftover ham cut into strips
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on if you want to taste the spicy or not
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (in bottle or freshly squeezed from 1 lemon)
• 1 handful chopped parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (get the good refrigerated stuff not the one in the parmesan container)

Ham Pasta Recipe

Start by bring a large pot of water sprinkled with salt to a boil over high heat. This is my favorite pot and it heats the water almost twice as fast and is naturally non-stick too! Cook the pasta based on the directions on the package until it is al dente. Save 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the rest of the pasta in a colinder and run under cold water to stop the pasta from cooking any quicker.

Pasta Dinner Ideas

This part is optional, but it adds such a great depth of flavor! Put the walnuts in your empty pan or skillet and cook over medium heat to toast them for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown and they start to smell toasty. This gives it such a rich, nutty flavor! Pull out the nuts and set aside to add back in at the end.

Quick Pasta Recipes

Put the empty pot back on the stove top with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat; once hot, add the ham and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to lightly brown.

easy pasta sauce no tomato

Now add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, cook it for another minute.

Easy Pasta Dishes

Add the reserved pasta cooking liquid and cook 3- 5 minutes to blend the flavors and the liquid has reduced by almost half.

no tomato pasta sauce

Add in the lemon juice, cooked pasta, walnuts, and parsley. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes to thoroughly heat and combine.

ham and pasta recipes

Remove from heat and add the butter and grated cheese; toss it to coat the noodles.

HINT: I use the same pot to save on washing, but you can cook the pasta and make the sauce at the same time by using a skillet for the sauce and a pot for the pasta.

Best Pasta Recipe

Serve the pasta dish hot with additional Parmesan cheese on the top if you like.

Quick Dinner Idea

This delicious and unique pasta recipe is always a hit! It is super yummy and full of flavor, but without the heavyness of a rich tomato or cream sauce!

You’ve got to try this EASY ham pasta recipe! This simple, one-pan dinner idea the whole family will love is ready in under 30 minutes!

Breakfast Recipes

Soup Recipes

• BEST Sweet Chili Recipe
• Hambone Soup Recipe
• Easy Pumpkin Chili
• Instapot Corn Chowder Soup
• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Best ever Tomato Soup with bacon
• Leftover Thanksgiving Soup
• Green Chicken Taco Soup
• Early Autumn Fall Soup Recipes with sausage and apple

Recipes for Salads and Sandwiches

• Creamy Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
• Shredded Chicken Sandwich Recipe that is perfect for company
• Grilled Brie and Pear Sandwich
• Kid Favorite Quesadilla Pizza School Lunch
• Best Oriental Coleslaw with Soy Sauce
• Beet Pear and Goat Cheese Salad
• Easy Chicken Salad Recipe
• Ground Beef Taco Salad
• Easy Spinach and Berry Salad
• Best Potato Salad loaded up with bacon, eggs, cheese, and more!

Main Dishes

• Mom’s Easy Lasagna Recipe
• Quick and Easy Orange Couscous Chicken
• General Tso Chicken Recipe
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• Delicious Homemade Tortilla Recipe
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• Sausage Make Ahead Foil Packet Dinners
• Easy Barbecue Chicken Recipe
• Juicy Lemon Chicken Pasta Instant pot
• Jazzed up Creamed Chicken over Biscuits
• Best Ever Mac and Cheese
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• Easy Cheese Souffle
• Super Tender BBQ Roast
• Homemade Copycat Godfathers Taco Pizza Recipe
• Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
• Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
• How to make homemade pasta
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• Healthy Pineapple Fried Rice
• Seriously the Best, Make Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes
• Easy Pasta Recipe with Ham, Walnuts, and Parmesan Cheese

Desserts

• This Easy Oreo Cheeseball can be served as an appetizer or dessert!
• Easy Fall Dessert – a mix and dump pumpkin cake that EVERYONE will love!
• Making this snow ice cream is one my kids’ favorite annual traditions!
• Perfect for summer, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Crumb Bars
• Pumpkin Lava Cake is an ooey gooey fall dessert your family will want seconds of!
• Creamy Peaches and Cream Ice Cream recipe
• This sandcastle ice cream is so clever and EASY to make! You are sure to be the coolest mom on the block!
• You don’t need a fancy ice cream maker; here is how to make ice cream in a bag
• These homemade cinnamon sugar tortilla chips are the perfect dessert to go along with your Mexican dinner
• If you’ve never tried our melt in your mouth sugar cookies, you are missing out!
• Whip up a batch of this carmel chex mix for your next game night or potluck!
• These snicker cookies are so decadent with a delightful melty middle!
• Easy, frozen Summer Strawberry Dessert
• This soft Gingerbread Man Recipe for kids is my most requested for every cookie swap!
• I can almost smell this cooking, my perfect every time, best pumpkin pie recipe
• My kids favorite cookies – Monster Cookie Recipe
• Or make these classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• So good their gone, easy homemade brownies recipe
• Perfect for summer, Lemon Bars with vanilla wafer crust
• Homemade Ice Cream Cake – this is what I request for my birthday cake every year! YUM!
• Classic Vanilla Ice Cream in a homemade ice cream maker
• Our favorite cake ball recipes
• So good you just can’t stop eating it Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge
• Mom’s Homemade Apple Pie
• Oh-so-Delicious Tres Leches Cake is quick and easy to make!

Appetizers

• Pepperoni Cheeseball Game Day Appetizers
• My famous pineapple cream cheese dip
• Zesty Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Our GO TO Salsa Recipe with gardne fresh tomatoes
• Grab your veggies, they are going to want to take a dunk in this Southwestern Dip
• Family Favorite appetizer meatballs with super quick secret sauce!
• Quick Pineapple Salsa made from scratch
• Sweet and Sour Bacon and Water Chestnut Appetizer
• Go to Peanut Butter Dip for Apples
• Quick and EASY Bagel Dip
• It wouldn’t be Christmas without serving up this family traditional Wassail Recipe

Breads and Side Dishes

• Super Moist Southern Cornbread recipe with creamed corn
• Easy Bread Machine Hamurger Buns
• Super Yummy Quick Yeast Rolls
• Rosemary Crock pot Bread
• Sweet Potato Sourdough Buns
• Delicious Yeastless Bread – quick bread recipe no yeast
• Best Smoked Green Beans – cook in the oven or smoker

Mom's Easy Ham Pasta Recipe

Beth Gorden

Pasta makes a quick, easy and filling meal, but pasta dinner ideas seem to be either tomato or heavy cream based sauces. This easy pasta recipe is a quick dinner idea with a no tomato pasta sauce you can make all in one pan in under 30 minutes! This simple pasta recipe is sure to become a new staple  easy pasta dishes the whole family will love!

4.39 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb pasta we use bow tie pasta
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 10 slices candadian bacon, sliced in strips
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 handful parsley, chopped 1 Tablespoon dried parsley can be subbed
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup lemon juice juice from 1 lemon
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Instructions

 

• Start by bring a large pot of water sprinkled with salt to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta based on the directions on the package until it is al dente. Save 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the rest of the pasta in a colinder and run under cold water to stop the pasta from cooking any quicker. 
• This part is optional, but it adds such a great depth of flavor! Put the walnuts in your empty pan or skillet and cook over medium heat to toast them for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown and they start to smell toasty. This gives it such a rich, nutty flavor! Pull out the nuts and set aside to add back in at the end. 
• Put the empty pot back on the stove top with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat; once hot, add the ham and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to lightly brown.
• Now add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, cook it for another minute.
• Add the reserved pasta cooking liquid and cook 3- 5 minutes to blend the flavors and the liquid has reduced by almost half.
• Add in the lemon juice, cooked pasta, walnuts, and parsley. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes to thoroughly heat and combine.
• Remove from heat and add the butter and grated cheese; toss it to coat the noodles. 

  HINT: I use the same pot to save on washing, but you can cook the pasta and make the sauce at the same time by using a skillet for the sauce and a pot for the pasta
• Serve the pasta dish hot with additional Parmesan cheese on the top if you like.