Ham-Linguine Florentine

This ham and linguine Florentine builds a creamy sauce without heavy cream. Evaporated skim milk thickened with cornstarch gives you that silky coating while keeping things lighter, and a good hit of Dijon mustard cuts through the richness with sharp, tangy heat.

Julienned ham, sliced mushrooms, and fresh spinach wilted right into the sauce make this a one-pan dinner once the pasta is cooked. The spinach goes in last and only needs seconds to wilt, so don’t add it too early or you’ll end up with army-green mush.

Toasted slivered almonds scattered on top add crunch that contrasts the soft pasta and tender vegetables. Toast them first in the dry pan and set aside before building the sauce in the same pan.

Pro Tips

• Toast the almonds dry and watch them constantly. They go from golden to burnt in about 10 seconds. Remove them the moment they start to color.
• Keep the linguine in its cooking water while you build the sauce. It stays warm and the starchy water helps the sauce cling when you toss everything together.
• Cornstarch + milk trick: Mix the cornstarch into cold milk before adding to the hot pan. Adding cornstarch directly to hot liquid creates lumps.
• Dijon is key here. Yellow mustard won’t give you the same depth. The whole-grain variety works too if that’s what you have.

Variations

• Turkey Florentine: Swap the ham for leftover roast turkey or rotisserie chicken.
• Gluten-free: Use rice linguine or your preferred gluten-free pasta.
• Extra greens: Add a handful of arugula along with the spinach for a peppery bite.