Ham Dijon with Pasta

This pasta dish builds a quick, luxurious cream sauce from just two ingredients: heavy cream and a generous pour of Dijon mustard. Reduced together on the stove until slightly thickened, they create a tangy, peppery sauce with real cling.

Diced smoked ham goes in off the heat along with cooked broccoli florets and sliced mushrooms. The ham doesn’t need to cook since it’s already smoked. It just needs to heat through and release some of its salty, smoky flavor into the cream sauce.

Dijon mustard in this quantity gives the sauce genuine bite. It’s sharp and vinegary when it first hits the cream, but simmering mellows it into something smooth with a warm, mustardy backbone that stands up to the rich ham and cream. White pepper adds subtle heat without the black specks.

Serve this over wide ribbon pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle. The broad noodles catch the thick sauce and hold pieces of ham and broccoli in every forkful.

Chef Tips

• Stir the cream and mustard mixture occasionally as it reduces. Cream can scorch on the bottom if left alone too long.
• Use good-quality Dijon, not yellow mustard. The difference in flavor is enormous in a sauce this simple.
• Pre-cook the broccoli until just tender-crisp. It finishes warming in the sauce and overcooked broccoli turns army green and mushy.

Variations

• Add a splash of dry white wine to the cream before reducing for a brighter, more complex sauce.
• Swap ham for smoked turkey for a lighter protein option.
• Stir in a handful of frozen peas for extra color and sweetness.