Name: Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box (16 oz) dry pasta (macaroni, shells, penne, bow tie); 4 tbls butter, divided; 3 tbls flour; 1 tbls minced garlic; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 1/2 cups milk; 2 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese; 1 1/2 - 2 cups diced ham; 1 -2 cups crushed cheese crackers (Goldfish, Cheez-It, Better Cheddars); salt & pepper to taste; Garnish: sliced green onions (optional)

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Got leftover ham? This Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole will have your family begging for seconds!

Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole in white pan with checkered napkin

I love making a ham for Easter and Christmas, but also throughout the year from big Sunday dinners. And of course, I always have tons of leftovers. Which means we have lots of sandwiches, Split Pea Soup with the ham bone, and this baked pasta casserole.

Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole

My Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole is basically a baked macaroni and cheese casserole with ham and topped with cheese crackers. I used Goldfish crackers and pasta shells because that’s what I had on hand. But any cheese cracker like Cheez-It or Better Cheddar would work and of course any small pasta will work (macaroni, penne, bow tie).

Ingredients to make this recipe:

dry pasta (macaroni, shells, penne, bow tie)
milk
butter
garlic
onion powder
flour
cheddar cheese
ham
cheese crackers (Goldfish, Cheez-It, Better Cheddars)
salt & pepper

Tools for making this recipe:

9×13 baking dish
stock pot
sauce pan
whisk

baked ham and cheese pasta casserole ingredients in pot

The base for this cheese sauce starts off the same way you’d make white gravy or bechamel sauce. In fact, if you can perfect bechamel sauce then you can make homemade macaroni and cheese, fettuccine alfredo, and lots of other cheese sauces for pasta.

How to Make Homemade Cheese Sauce

In a large saucepan, melt butter and flour together over medium high heat. Cook flour mixture for a 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add in garlic and onion powder and stir for 30 seconds.
Lower heat to low and slowly pour in milk while constantly stirring with a wire whisk. Keep stirring and work out any lumps that may have formed. Once lumps are gone, turn heat up to medium high and bring to a slow boil. Add in shredded cheese while continuing to stir.
Cheese sauce will begin to thicken and keep stirring for 30 seconds-1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more cheese or garlic or salt and pepper if needed.
Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Got leftover ham? This Baked Ham & Cheese Pasta Casserole will have your family begging for seconds!

Ingredients

1 box (16 oz) dry pasta (macaroni, shells, penne, bow tie)
4 tbls butter, divided
3 tbls flour
1 tbls minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 - 2 cups diced ham
1 -2 cups crushed cheese crackers (Goldfish, Cheez-It, Better Cheddars)
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish: sliced green onions (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F and cook pasta according to package. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter and flour together over medium high heat. Cook flour mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add in garlic and onion powder and stir for 30 seconds.
Lower heat to low and slowly pour in milk while constantly stirring with a wire whisk. Keep stirring and work out any lumps that may have formed. Once lumps are gone, turn heat up to medium high and bring to a slow boil. Add in shredded cheese while continuing to stir.
Cheese sauce will begin to thicken and keep stirring for 30 seconds-1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more cheese or garlic or salt and pepper if needed.
Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Drain pasta and return to stock pot. Stir in ham and cheese sauce. Pour pasta into prepared baking dish.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter and mix with crushed cheese crackers. Pour over top of noodles evenly.
Bake casserole at 375F for 20 minutes or until pasta is hot and bubbly and topping is lightly toasted. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 538Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 947mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 27g

This nutritional information is an estimate may vary, depending on brand and type of ingredients used. It is not intended to replace the advice of a licensed dietician or physician.