Whether you have leftover ham you need to use or you just don’t want a whole ham for Easter this Spring Ham and Asparagus Lemon Cream Pasta is perfection. 

A photo of a white bowl full of cubed ham, asparagus, peas, and orcehiette pasta all in a lemon cream sauce.

It’s the same thing for me every year, make a whole ham that takes my tiny family forever to finish, and I’m talking leftovers for weeks, or find an easier dish that still screams spring and Easter? I can’t even imagine what it will be like when I have kids that aren’t little bird eaters and not only eat more dinner but care about dinner!

When does that happen? When do kids actually care about meals?! Please tell me it happens soon!

Every spring our World’s Best Brown Sugar Ham and How to Cook Ham in a Slow Cooker go nuts, but I really think this pasta should be pinned just as much.

It has everything you want in a spring dish! You have ham, of course! But you also have asparagus which finally is in season and not a million dollars per pound, and the bright lemon cream sauce! Lemon for me means spring.

A photo of cooked orecchiette pasta, cubed ham, peans, and asparagus all coated in lemon cream sauce.

Lemon Cream Sauce

When life gives me lemons, I find a reason to make this lemon cream sauce! We use a similar lemon cream sauce in our Panko Crusted Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce and in our Grilled Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce. So it obviously goes great with chicken, but I love it with the ham in this dish!

The lemon cream sauce starts with a basic roux, melted butter whisked with flour and garlic powder. When the cream and milk are added, it should start to thicken immediately. Parmesan cheese and lemon juice and zest are added to make this sauce just dreamy delicious!

A photo of a white bowl full of cubed ham, asparagus, peas, and orcehiette pasta all in a lemon cream sauce.

Orecchiette

You can use any kind of pasta you like, but we really like to use orecchiette in this dish. The little ear-shaped pasta acts like little pockets that trap the sauce and little delicious bits inside. I like to get my pasta going first thing when I start making this meal. Be sure to heavily salt the water that you boil the pasta in. It will give the the pasta so much flavor. Cook the pasta al dente because it will cook a little more once it gets mixed with the warm sauce.

A photo of a skillet pan full of the ingredients for ham and asparagus lemon cream sauce unmixed.

Everything Asparagus

I adore asparagus! When it finally goes on sale in the spring, I have to physically restrain myself from happy dancing around the produce section. Then we eat it several times a week all spring long! Not only is it delicious, but it’s also super good for you. It is low in calories and a source of many nutrients like fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K. Eating asparagus also helps with digestion, lowering blood pressure and weight loss. Asparagus for the win!

A photo of cubed ham and peas being sauteed in a skillet.

Bring on the Ham

The asparagus is sauteed in a skillet until it is cooked and then removed to a plate. Then we bring on the ham! I love sauteing ham until it gets crispy edges and starts to caramelize. It is so dang good! It is one of my favorite ways to make ham, and it gives this dish the best sweet and smoky flavor.

A photo of a white bowl full of cubed ham, asparagus, peas, and orcehiette pasta all in a lemon cream sauce.

Let’s Put it All Together

We have one more ingredient to add to the skillet before we bring everything together…it’s the peas!! Is there any vegetable that is easier to cook than peas? I guess it might be tied with corn, but I just love how simple they are. I also love the texture and sweetness they add to this dish. Now you are ready to combine everything back into the skillet:

  • Ham
  • Peas
  • Asparagus
  • Cooked pasta
  • Lemon cream sauce
A photo of a white bowl full of cubed ham, asparagus, peas, and orcehiette pasta all in a lemon cream sauce.

Up on Top

We like to top this spring ham and asparagus with lemon cream pasta with chopped fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese.

So my kids love this dish even though they don’t appreciate how truly amazing it is. I’ve accepted that I can’t cook to please them every night because it is nearly impossible to please them all with every meal. I cook dishes that I know I will love and that Cade will love. We take the kids along for the ride and hope and pray that they will adore good food as much as we do someday! Fingers crossed!

Looking for more delicious PASTA RECIPES?

More HAM RECIPES You Will Love:

Spring Ham and Asparagus Lemon Cream Pasta

4.32 from 47 votes
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Description

This creamy pasta has a hint of lemon which totally brightens the dish along with garlicky asparagus, little peas and juicy ham which makes for a pretty near perfect spring pasta recipe.

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces Pasta, orcchiette
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted
  • 1 Tablespoon Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Cup Cream, heavy, or milk
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, fresh, grated, plus more for serving
  • 1 Lemon, juiced and zested
  • Salt to taste
  • Olive Oil
  • 8 Asparagus Spears, chopped on a diagonal *see note
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Seasoning, we use Johnny’s Garlic Spread]
  • 1 Package Ham, pre-cubed, about 2 Cups
  • 1 Cup Peas, frozen
  • Parsley, freshly chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat a pot of water over medium high heat and add a little salt.
  • Cook the pasta until al dente and set aside.
    8 ounces Pasta
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and once melted, quickly whisk in the garlic powder and flour, continuing to whisk for 30 seconds.
    1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, 1 Tablespoon Flour, 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • Add the cream or milk and continue to whisk until it begins to thicken.
    1 Cup Cream
  • Add the parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice and then season to taste. Set aside.
    1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, 1 Lemon
  • In a skillet over medium high heat, add a drizzle or two of olive oil and once hot add the asparagus along with the seasoning. Stir occasionally until it it cooked but not soggy, remove to a plate.
    Olive Oil, 8 Asparagus Spears, 1 teaspoon Garlic Seasoning
  • Add another drizzle of oil and add the cubed ham. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the ham begins to brown and caramelize.
    Olive Oil, 1 Package Ham
  • Add the peas and toss to cook.
    1 Cup Peas
  • Dump the asparagus back in the skillet along with the drained pasta and sauce. Toss to coat and serve with additional parmesan and parsley.
    Parsley

Notes

To trim Asparagus, hold the spear with an end in each hand and bend the spear. It will naturally break in the best place.
Pasta will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 10gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 494mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1050IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 1mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: 50 of our Best Easy Pasta Recipes

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A photo of a white bowl full of cubed ham, asparagus, peas, and orcehiette pasta all in a lemon cream sauce.

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