Skip to Content

Ham & Cheese Tortellini

Ham & Cheese Tortellini – use that leftover ham to make this easy creamy tortellini dinner in 20 minutes!  Great one pan meal any night of the week!

Do you ever wonder what to do with leftover ham?  My family loves Baked Ham, so we don’t always just reserve it for holidays. But it makes way more than we can eat, so I am always on the lookout for what to do with leftover ham.  And this cheese tortellini is one of the most requested!  

There is almost always enough leftover ham to make this tortellini as well as my husband’s favorite Ham and Bean Soup.  I have been known to buy the diced ham at the store just to make this cheese tortellini as well, it is that good! 

A pan filled with tortellini and ham

One pan meals are the best for busy weeknights, and this one is so easy! It is ready in 20 minutes and you can use fresh or frozen ravioli, so there are no excuses.

What You’ll Need To Make This

  • Olive Oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Diced Ham
  • Tortellini
  • Chicken Broth
  • Heavy Cream
  • Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Crushed Red Pepper
  • Salt and Pepper

I almost always have tortellini in my fridge and freezer because it makes for such an easy dinner.  Tortellini recipes are so versatile. You can use cheese filled like in this recipe, or meat filled in this Tomato-Basil Tortellini

Plate with ham and tortellini

Recipes For Leftover Ham

Throw in a few peas into these tortellini recipe and you have a full meal on the table in just minutes.  It is great for busy weeknights and the perfect way to use up leftovers. 

A box filled with different types of food on a table

How to make One Pan Cheese Tortellini

  1. To heat leftover ham add just a little bit of oil into a skillet and heat over high heat.  Add diced ham and onion and let it cook for a few minutes to get a nice golden crust on the ham and the onions are soft. 
  2. Add the garlic and cook for just about a minute, until you can start to smell it. This ensures that it doesn’t burn as the rest onions cook.
  3. Pour the cheese tortellini and chicken stock into the skillet.  Everything cooks together and the pasta gets soft and delicious. 
  4. Once the tortellini is cooked, add the heavy cream, cheese, and the seasonings. You will get a creamy and delicious sauce.  Yes, you can use another milk product here, it may just not be as thick and creamy.
  5. If you want to add peas add them in with the cheese to get them to warm through. 
  6. Serve immediately. Leftovers are great for lunch the next day as well.
A pan filled with tortellini and ham

More Great Pasta Recipes

cheese tortellini with ham in skillet
Yield: 4

Ham & Cheese Tortellini

Ham & Cheese Tortellini 3 square

Ham & Cheese Tortellini - use that leftover ham to make this easy creamy tortellini dinner in 20 minutes! Great one pan meal any night of the week!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups ham, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (1 pound) package frozen cheese tortellini
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add ham and onions, saute for 5-6 minutes until onions are tender and the ham is lightly browned. Stir in garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add tortellini, chicken stock, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until tortellini is cooked.
  3. Stir in cheese and heavy cream until melted.
  4. Serve immediately

Notes

Adapted from Kevin & Amanda

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 380Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 101mgSodium 1289mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 27g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a picture on social media!

I created a fun group on Facebook, and I would love for you to join us! It’s a place where you can share YOUR favorite recipes, ask questions, and see what’s new at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts (so that you never miss a new recipe)! If you’d like to check it out, you can request to join HERE.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU make! 

Connect with Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts!

Be sure to follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

Erin S
Follow me
Latest posts by Erin S (see all)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sandra Stroup

Tuesday 29th of December 2020

Made this tonight was Very good Only thing I did different was omit the pepper flakes and I Used hall pepper Jack cheese and half Monterey Jack cheese instead of all Monterey Jack. Used left over ham. Came out perfect. Everyone loved it.

Cathy

Wednesday 24th of April 2019

Why is tortellini SO GOOD!? This combo sounds awesome!

Taylor

Friday 19th of April 2019

Perfect way to use leftover ham from Easter! Yum!

Jocelyn

Thursday 18th of April 2019

What a great way to use up the extra ham from the weekend! I can't wait to make it next week.

Beth Pierce

Thursday 18th of April 2019

Great idea for leftovers! My kids love tortellinis so this will be the perfect dinner during the week!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe