Creamy, cheesy ham and cheese pasta bake – with parmesan, mozzarella and ham. This cheesy pasta is comfort food at its finest and a delicious weeknight dinner.
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What happens when pasta meets a mozzarella and parmesan-laden white sauce, tossed with chopped ham and herbs? Magic! Stomach-warming, rich, cheesy magic.
I made these ham and cheese pasta the other day and sent them home with my parents. They came back the next day and insisted that I put the recipe aside, they liked it so much.
Cheese pasta + ham and cheese casserole
This dish has the flavors of a ham and cheese casserole with cheese pasta. It’s kind of a spiced up mac n cheese, but for this extra cheesy pasta bake, we’re going to use fusilli pasta instead of elbow macaroni. The twisted fusilli pasta is bite-sized, and all of those curves make the pasta the perfect vehicle for trapping and holding the thick and creamy white sauce.
Along with a creamy cheese sauce, we tossed in some Italian seasoning, parsley, scallions, and a bunch of chopped ham. Perfect!
This pasta casserole with ham and cheese can be warmed up wonderfully and will keep (covered) in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. If you’re reheating a large batch on the stovetop, you may need to add a little more milk or water to fluff up the sauce.
Pasta casserole with ham and cheese
Nutmeg is an essential condiment for the white sauce. That said, it’s easy to overdo it. Start with a small amount, 1/4 teaspoon, and add more as needed.
ingredients
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12 ounces fusilli
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Salt for pasta water
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4 tablespoon butter
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2 cloves Garlic, chopped
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4 tablespoon flour
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2 1/2 cups milk
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1/2 Cup fat whipped cream
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1 Cup water
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1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, more to taste
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1 teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste
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1 teaspoon Italian spice or a mixture of dried oregano, thyme and basil
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3/4 teaspoon Salt, more to taste
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3 ounces (approx. 1 cup, packed) shredded or grated parmesan cheese
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4 ounces (about 1 cup, packaged) grated mozzarella cheese
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10 ounces rolled ham (about 2 cups)
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1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley
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1/4 Cup freshly chopped green onion greens or chives
method
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Make noodles:
For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (4 liters, 2 tablespoons salt). While the pasta water is heating, prepare the other ingredients.
Once the water is boiling, add the noodles, stirring so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Bring the water back to a boil and cook, uncovered, 9 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente, cooked through but still slightly al dente.
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Make roux:
Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (3 to 4 liters) over medium-high heat. Add the chopped garlic. Let the garlic sizzle for a few seconds. Add the flour and whisk to break up any lumps. Let the roux (flour and butter) bubble and cook for a minute or two.
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Make the sauce:
Slowly add the milk and heavy cream, ¼ cup each, beating after each addition until incorporated. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper. (You can increase these later to taste.) Add 1⁄2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Add half of the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and beat until melted and incorporated into the sauce.
Add 3/4 teaspoon salt (again, you can increase this to taste).
Stir in 1 cup water (can use pasta cooking water if you like).
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Preheat oven to 400°F
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Combine pasta with sauce, ham, parsley, green onion:
Drain the cooked pasta and add to the sauce. Add the ham. Add the chopped parsley and onion greens or chives. Stir gently to combine. Taste and add more nutmeg, salt, pepper or Italian seasonings if you like.
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Bake:
Transfer the pasta mixture to an ovenproof casserole dish (if you’re using a Dutch oven to make the sauce, there’s no need to transfer it to another bowl). Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is bubbling and lightly browned on top.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 483 | calories |
| 28g | Fat |
| 32g | carbohydrates |
| 27g | protein |
