Creamy Fontina Ham Pasta (Pasta Alla Valdostana)

This Creamy Fontina Ham Pasta, known as Pasta Alla Valdostana, is a classic dish from the Aosta Valley in Northern Italy, traditionally made with Fontina cheese, butter, and cream. Ultra-creamy, rich, and silky, this pasta delivers pure comfort with every bite and showcases the luxurious melting quality of Fontina. Simple yet indulgent, it’s a cheese-forward recipe that never disappoints.

Hello, folks – how are you doing? I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and you will have a great week ahead!

And in case Mondays are not your favourite day of the week, I have something delicious for you to cheer you up.

Another day, another pasta. And this is another recipe from one of my favourite blogs The Pasta Project.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Fontina Ham Pasta

• Cheese-forward comfort. Melted Fontina creates a smooth, creamy sauce with deep flavour.
• Simple method. A gentle melting technique delivers restaurant-style results at home.
• Rich but balanced. Cream and butter enhance the cheese without overwhelming it.
• Quick to prepare. Ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta.
• Classic Italian roots. Inspired by the flavours of Pasta Alla Valdostana.

Pasta Alla Valdostana

Today’s pasta is from the Aosta Valley, Northern Italy. This region is famous for producing Fontina cheese – a cow’s milk with a high fat content. This easy-melting cheese is a common ingredient in many recipes, including Italian fondue. Unlike Swiss fondue, Italian fondue also includes butter and cream. So, basically, this recipe is a combination of pasta and cheese fondue.

You can also bake this pasta by adding some extra butter and Parmesan and baking until the top is nice and crisp.

Ingredients You Need for Creamy Fontina Cheese Pasta

• Short pasta. Shapes like penne, farfalle, rigatoni, or fusilli hold the creamy sauce well.
• Fontina cheese. The star ingredient, melting smoothly into a rich, velvety sauce.
• Cooked ham. Adds saltiness and savoury depth.
• Butter. Helps start the sauce and enhances richness.
• Cream. Brings everything together into a smooth, creamy texture.
• Salt. Used carefully to balance the cheese and ham.
• Freshly ground black pepper. Adds gentle warmth and contrast.
• Parmigiano Reggiano. Optional for serving, adding extra savoury notes.

How to Make Creamy Fontina Ham Pasta

To make this Creamy Fontina Ham Pasta, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the Fontina and cream, stirring gently until the cheese melts into a smooth, creamy sauce. Stir in the ham, season with salt and black pepper, and turn off the heat.

Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan. Toss everything together briefly over high heat until well coated, then serve immediately with grated Parmigiano Reggiano if desired.

More Italian Pasta Recipes

Are you looking for more tasty Italian pasta recipes, be sure to check more inspirations:

• Pasta with Chicken Liver
• Pasta al Baffo (Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta)
• Ligurian Walnut Pesto Pasta | Havoc in the Kitchen
• Pasta alla Papalina (Creamy Ham and Pea Pasta with Eggs)
• Pasta with Lamb Ragù

I hope you like this Creamy Fontina Cheese Pasta with ham, and you will give it a try shortly. If you make it, please let me know in the comment section of this post below or send me an Instagram message or share your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Print

Creamy Fontina Ham Pasta (Pasta Alla Valdostana)

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: Pasta and GnocchiCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Creamy Fontina ham pasta, also known as Pasta Alla Valdostana, made with melted Fontina cheese, cream, butter, and ham for a rich Italian classic.

The recipe adapted from The Pasta Project

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 350-400 g short pasta of your choice (e.g., penne, farfalle, rigatoni, fusilli)

• 250 g Fontina cheese, cut or broken into pieces

• 250 g cooked ham, cubed

• 2 tbsp. (30 g.) butter

• 3/4 cup (180 ml.) cream – I used 10%, but 5 % or 18 % should work

• salt, to taste

• black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

• 1/4 cup (30 g) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, for serving

Directions

• To cook pasta, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt well. Add in the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, until al dente.
• In the meantime, make the sauce. On medium-low heat, melt the butter in a large frying pan or skillet and then add the pieces of fontina.
• Add the cream and stir until the cheese melts. 
• Add the ham to the pan and stir. Season with the salt and pepper, stir again and then turn the heat off.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Mix everything together well for 30 seconds over high heat.
• Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano if desired.