Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta (Pasta al Baffo)

Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta is a classic Italian comfort dish, also known as Pasta al Baffo, featuring tube-shaped pasta tossed in a silky tomato cream sauce with savoury pieces of ham. This creamy tomato pasta strikes a beautiful balance between gentle acidity from the tomatoes and rich, velvety cream, creating a dish that feels both familiar and indulgent. It’s simple, satisfying, and rooted in everyday Italian home cooking.

Hello folks – I hope you all are doing well!

Before we talk about today’s fabulicious recipe, let me ask you one thing. Don’t you think that three pasta recipes in a row is way too many? If you ask me, there is no such thing as too many pasta recipes. But I normally try alternating recipes on the blog, just for the sake of variety. However, it seems that the only edited photos from my unpublished archives I have, they all pasta recipes. And I am super lazy busy to go through and edit something else :)

So, let’s deal with one more pasta recipe, and during the weekend I will prepare photos for my next posts to have a little break from pasta!

Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta (Pasta al Baffo)

It is no secret that last year I tried many pasta recipes (which I had never heard of) from the blogs The Pasta Project – Authentic Pasta Recipes (the-pasta-project.com) and Memorie di Angelina – Easy authentic Italian recipes. I stumbled across Pasta al Baffo on the Pasta Project, although Frank has this recipe, too. It is not that I was not familiar with the combination of ham, tomato, and cream – it is more about learning an authentic way as well as a history behind recipes.

Interesting fact – this sauce is relatively modern – from the 1970s – 1980s, when pasta sauces with cream and tomatoes were trendy (just like pasta alla vodka.) The name “Al baffo” is an abbreviation of the expression “da leccarsi i baffi” meaning “so good you’ll lick your whiskers”. And Daisy (with her whiskers) and I (without) can both attest LOL.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta

• Classic Italian comfort. A traditional Pasta al Baffo that balances tangy tomato passata with silky cream.
• Rich yet not heavy. The tomato cream sauce feels indulgent without being overwhelming.
• Weeknight-friendly. Simple steps, minimal prep, and ready in under 30 minutes.
• Flexible and forgiving. Works beautifully with different pasta shapes and cream levels.
• Crowd-pleasing flavour. Savoury ham and creamy tomato sauce appeal to all ages.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Creamy Italian Pasta

• Tube-shaped pasta. Penne or rigatoni work best, as they trap the creamy tomato sauce inside and along their ridges.
• Olive oil. Extra-virgin olive oil adds a subtle fruity base for sautéing the aromatics.
• Shallots or onion. Finely minced shallots provide gentle sweetness; a small onion works just as well.
• Cooked ham. Lean, cubed ham adds savoury flavour without overpowering the sauce.
• Tomato passata. Smooth, strained tomatoes create a clean, balanced tomato cream pasta base.
• Heavy cream. Whipping cream gives the sauce its signature silkiness, though a lighter cream can be used.
• Fresh parsley. Chopped parsley brightens the dish and adds freshness at the end.
• Salt and pepper. Essential for balancing the creaminess and enhancing the tomato flavour.

How to Make Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta Pasta al Baffo

To make this Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving some of the pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, sauté the minced shallots in olive oil until soft, then add the ham and cook until lightly golden. Stir in the tomato passata and let it simmer until slightly thickened, then add the cream and gently combine.

Add the pasta to the sauce with a splash of reserved pasta water and let everything simmer together for a minute or two until the sauce coats the pasta. Finish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

More Authentic Pasta Recipes

Are you looking for more authentic Italian pasta recipes, like this Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta? Be sure to check more recipes below: Please be sure to check some.

• Pasta alla Pastora
• Pasta alla Papalina
• Ragù alla Bolognese
• Pasta with Sardines
• Sicilian Style Pasta with Cauliflower
• Pasta alla Genovese

I’d love for you to try this pasta with ham and cream sauce. If you give this Italian pasta recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Print

Creamy Tomato Ham Pasta (Pasta al Baffo)

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

4.9 from 11 votes

Course: Pasta and GnocchiCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-5

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Creamy tomato ham pasta, also known as Pasta al Baffo, made with tomato passata, cream, and savoury ham. A comforting Italian classic.

Recipe adopted from the Pasta Project

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• about 450 g tube-shaped pasta like penne or rigatoni

• 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) olive oil, preferably extra virgin

• 1-2 shallots, finely minced – or substitute 1 small onion

• 250 g cooked ham, cubed (I used lean ham)

• 1 cup (~250 g) tomato passata

• 1 cup (~240 ml) heavy (whipping, 35%) cream – or use lighter version like 18%

• few parsley springs, chopped

• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt it well.
• In a meantime, in a large pan / skillet sauté the shallots in olive oil over low-medium heat, until they are soft and translucent, few minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium / high-medium. Add the ham to the skillet and sauté until they begin to brown slightly around the edges.
• Stir in the tomato passata and let it simmer gently to allow the sauce to thicken, for about 10 minutes. Season with salt according to your taste.
• Add in the heavy cream and blend it with the tomato sauce. Simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in boiling water, until al dente or even slightly less, as per package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and then drain.
• Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with a ladle (~1/2 cup) of the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat, and let the pasta simmer in the sauce for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously. If necessary, add a little more of pasta water (you will not the entire cup.)
• Stir in the parsley and serve immediately, sprinkled with some extra parsley if desired. Enjoy!