A luxurious, 25-minute pasta dish featuring salty ham, tender spinach, and creamy burrata in a bright lemon-butter sauce.
In Austin, sometimes you crave something that feels both indulgent and quick. This ham spaghetti pasta is my weeknight answer to that craving. It takes the comforting elements of a classic butter sauce, brightens it dramatically with fresh lemon juice, and adds a sophisticated pop of flavor and texture with salty ham and buttery pistachios. The final touch-a ball of creamy burrata-melts slightly when broken over the hot pasta, creating a rich, ready-made sauce that feels incredibly luxurious without any complicated technique.
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The key to making this dish shine is the combination of the hot pasta and the room-temperature burrata. Do not put the burrata in the refrigerator before using; the cold cream center will fail to melt and flow over the warm noodles. The residual heat is what creates the instant creamy sauce when the cheese is broken open.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Instant Creaminess: The burrata cheese, when broken, mixes with the lemon butter sauce to create a velvety coating that is rich but not heavy.
- Complex Textures: The soft spaghetti and melting cheese contrast beautifully with the salty, chewy ham and the crunchy, buttery pistachios.
- Bright Flavor Profile: The fresh lemon juice cuts through the richness of the butter and ham, leaving a clean, zesty finish.
- Fast and Simple: Everything comes together in one skillet while the spaghetti boils, making this a true 25-minute meal.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti: 8 oz. Any long pasta like linguine or fettuccine works well.
- Ham: 8 oz uncured ham. Slice it into thin strips. Prosciutto or high-quality deli ham can be substituted.
- Burrata Cheese: 8 oz (usually one or two balls). Keep it at room temperature before serving.
- Pistachios: ½ cup shelled. Pulsing them in a food processor or chopping them coarsely by hand is essential for that perfect crunch.
- Fats: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Spinach: 5 oz fresh spinach.
- Lemon Juice: 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed juice.
- Garnish: Fresh parsley or basil, lemon slices, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Ham Spaghetti Pasta
Cooking the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta well. While the pasta cooks, start building the sauce base.
Sautéing the Spinach and Ham
In a large, high-sided skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook just until it wilts-about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ham strips to the skillet and cook for another minute to warm them through and release some of their savory flavor into the butter.
Building the Lemon Butter Sauce
Add the 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the ham and spinach mixture in the skillet. Stir quickly to combine. The mixture of melted butter, oil, and lemon juice forms a light emulsion.
Assembly and Topping
Add the drained, hot spaghetti directly to the skillet. Stir everything on medium heat for about 1 minute to reheat the ingredients and ensure the sauce coats every strand. Remove the skillet from the heat.
The Final Touch
Place the burrata cheese gently on top of the pasta. Break the burrata open with a spoon so the creamy interior flows out over the hot pasta. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped pistachios over the top. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh chopped parsley or basil. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and salt, if needed (be mindful of the saltiness of the ham).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rinsing the Pasta: Do not rinse the spaghetti. The starch on the hot noodles is needed to help the butter and oil emulsion cling to the pasta.
- Overcooking the Spinach: Spinach wilts instantly. If you cook it for too long, it releases too much water and becomes slimy.
- Chilling the Burrata: Cold burrata will not flow properly. Ensure it is at room temperature for the best creamy result.
Tips and Tricks for Success
Pistachio Prep The crunch of the pistachios is essential. If you don't have a food processor, place the shelled nuts in a zip-top bag and gently crush them with the bottom of a heavy pan.
Ham Quality Since ham is one of the main components, use a high-quality product. Thinly sliced uncured ham from the deli counter often has the best flavor.
Lemon Zest For an even brighter flavor, zest half the lemon before juicing it. Stir the zest into the skillet during the final assembly step.
Variations
- Protein Swap: This sauce base works beautifully with seared shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Spice Kick: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the lemon juice for a subtle background heat.
- Add Parmesan: For a sharper, saltier flavor, grate Parmesan cheese over the finished dish along with the pistachios.
How to Serve
This dish is best served immediately while the burrata is still melting. Pair it with a side of steamed green beans or a crisp garden salad. A glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc enhances the lemon notes perfectly.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storage: Store leftovers (without the burrata) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce. Do not microwave the burrata. Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dish. The dairy and ham texture will suffer significantly.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
I learned that using a combination of butter and olive oil for the sauce base provides the best of both worlds: the rich, deep flavor of butter and the health benefits and smoothness of olive oil. Just butter alone tends to feel too heavy with the burrata.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated per serving: 650 calories, 35g fat, 30g protein, 55g carbohydrates.
Ham Spaghetti Pasta with Spinach, Burrata Cheese, and Lemon Butter Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Large pot for pasta
- 1 Large, high-sided skillet
- 1 Food processor for pistachios (optional)
Ingredients
Group: Main Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 oz spinach
- 8 oz uncured ham sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup pistachios, shelled pulsed in a food processor
- 8 oz Burrata cheese
- lemon slices for garnish
- chopped fresh parsley or basil for garnish
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Drain. While the pasta cooks, proceed with the recipe. Heat **2 tablespoons** of butter over medium heat in a large, high-sided skillet. Add spinach and cook just until it wilts. Slice ham into thin strips and add them to the skillet with wilted spinach.
- Add **3 tablespoons** of extra virgin olive oil and **3 tablespoons** of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the ham and spinach. Add drained cooked spaghetti to the same skillet and stir on medium heat to reheat everything. Season with salt and pepper.
- Chop shelled pistachios by pulsing them in a food processor. Add **burrata cheese** on top of the pasta in the skillet (or on individual servings). Top with chopped pistachios. Garnish with lemon slices and chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
What can I use instead of burrata?
A generous dollop of fresh ricotta cheese works well to add creaminess, or use torn balls of fresh mozzarella, though you will lose the distinct creamy interior of the burrata.
Do I have to use ham?
No, you can substitute it with crispy prosciutto (baked until crisp) or pre-cooked, cubed pancetta. Sautéing bacon until crisp and using the rendered fat also adds incredible flavor.
