Pasta Carbonara with Leftover Ham

If you’ve got plenty of ham leftover from Easter or a big family dinner, you’ll love the simplicity of this easy pasta carbonara recipe. Pasta noodles are cooked al dente, then combined with ham, onion, and peas. Those yummy, hot ingredients are tossed with an egg-based Parmesan sauce that cooks around each noodle, coating it with flavor. Since it’s ready in 20 minutes, it’s a perfect dish for busy weeknights!

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What is Pasta Carbonara?

Pasta carbonara can be made with any type of pasta, although spaghetti and linguine tend to be the noodles of choice for this dish. Carbonara sauce is typically made from egg yolks, grated cheese, and prosciutto. It is quickly added to hot pasta and tossed, which allows the egg to cook around the pasta strands.

This version of pasta carbonara uses ham in place of prosciutto, and peas are added for color and nutrition. This recipe is a wonderful way to use leftover ham, especially after Easter. To me, it’s a must-have dinner in the spring!

Where Did Pasta Carbonara Originate?

When it comes to Italian foods, their origins are often described in the name of the dish. For example, anything with Neapolitan in its name originated in Naples. Dishes are also often named with reference to the group of people who developed the dish. Marinara dishes are those that were traditionally prepared by sailors.

And then we have pasta carbonara. Its origins are something of a mystery, even though there are plenty of theories about where it came from. Because Italian dishes often refer to a recipe’s origin in its name, one of the favored theories is that the dish was favored by charcoal miners. It is thought that the dish’ few ingredients could be carried to work easily.

As far as recipe history shows, the first record of mixing eggs and pasta was in 1773 by Vincenzo Corrado of Naples, Italy. But the intention behind the mixing wasn’t to create a sauce. Instead, the egg was used as a thickening agent. Strangely, there are no subsequent surviving recipes for (or alluding to) what we know as pasta carbonara until 1952.

And it wasn’t even in Italy!

It was in Chicago! In 1952, Patricia Bronté wrote and published a piece called An Extraordinary Guide to What is Cooking on Chicago’s Near North Side. In it is an unmistakable description of pasta carbonara being served at a restaurant named Armando’s.

The first Italian version of pasta carbonara was published in August, 1954 in the magazine La Cucina Italiana. The ingredients are slightly different, but it is still very recognizable as the pasta dish that so many of us enjoy today.

What Kind of Ham is Best to Use in This Recipe?

I love serving baked ham at Christmas, Easter, and every now and again on the weekend. If you’ve ever made ham, you’ll know that there’s usually plenty left over. I created this recipe to be made with leftover baked ham, but you don’t have to have a ham dinner to enjoy this pasta carbonara!

Ham steaks range between 1 and 2 pounds and are great to use in this recipe. So are quarter-cut boneless hams, which are typically 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. There is no need to bake it before making this dish. Simply cut it into bite-sized pieces and begin with step 1 of the recipe.

In a pinch, deli ham can be used. Since it is sliced so thin, it’s best not to cook the ham with the onions and garlic as directed in the recipe. Instead, cut it into smaller pieces and add it to the mixing bowl with the peas.

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Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add ham, onion, and garlic. Saute over medium heat until onion is soft. Add white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until almost all liquid is gone. Pour ham mixture into a large bowl.
• Whisk the egg yolks and egg together in a small bowl. Gradually add Parmesan cheese; mix well. Set aside. The mixture will thicken as it rests.
• Cook peas; place in bowl with ham and onion mixture.
• Cook pasta according to package directions until it is al dente. Drain, reserving about 2 cups of liquid.
  
  Immediately toss pasta with ham, peas, and egg mixture. Work quickly to ensure the egg cooks around the pasta strands.
  
  
• Add 1/4 cup reserved liquid, mix well. Continue to add liquid in 1/4 cup increments until sauce is desired consistency. You may not need all 2 cups.
  
  Serve immediately.

Grandma always said that a recipe is just a guideline. Feel free to adapt my recipes to suit your family’s needs. Be sure to comment below to let us all know how you made this recipe your own!

One of the best things about this recipe is how easily it can be tweaked. For a vegetarian option, omit the ham and add extra veggies of your choice.

If you’re a bacon lover, substitute the ham for crisp bacon. You may never want it any other way!

For a dish that shouts springtime, substitute asparagus for the peas. A squeeze of lemon juice also adds to the fresh taste of spring, too!

Pasta Carbonara with Leftover Ham

Recipe by Chicken Soup with DumplingsCourse: Main Dishes, Pasta, PorkDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

This easy pasta carbonara recipe combines pasta, ham, onion, and peas in an egg-based Parmesan sauce that coats each noodle with flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cups diced ham

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, pressed

• 1/3 cup white wine

• 1 egg

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1- 10 oz bag frozen peas

• 16 oz package pasta (I use spaghetti)

• 2 cups reserved pasta cooking liquid

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add ham, onion, and garlic. Saute over medium heat until onion is soft. Add white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until almost all liquid is gone. Pour ham mixture into a large bowl.
• Whisk the egg yolks and egg together in a small bowl. Gradually add Parmesan cheese; mix well. Set aside. The mixture will thicken as it rests.
• Cook peas; place in bowl with ham and onion mixture.
• Cook pasta according to package directions until it is al dente. Drain, reserving about 2 cups of liquid.
  
  Immediately toss pasta with ham, peas, and egg mixture. Work quickly to ensure the egg cooks around the pasta strands.
• Add 1/4 cup reserved liquid, mix well. Continue to add liquid in 1/4 cup increments until sauce is desired consistency. You may not need all 2 cups.
  
  Serve immediately.

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