Ham and Cheese Casserole

5 from 2 votes

A made-from-scratch baked mac and cheese with Gruyere and sharp cheddar cheeses, smoky leftover ham, and a buttery garlic breadcrumb topping!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword baked mac and cheese with ham, ham and cheese bake, ham and cheese casserole, ham cheese casserole, mac and cheese with ham

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 629kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

8 ounces (½ lb.) short pasta, such as elbows, medium shells, “shellbows,” or cavatappi
Olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup (half of a stick) salted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 ounces cooked diced ham (about 1 cup)

For the Garlic Breadcrumb Topping

½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
Dash of garlic powder
Optional garnish: dash of paprika; chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook for about 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, melt ¼ cup butter in a large Dutch oven over low heat. Whisk in the flour; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the room temperature milk. Increase the heat and cook for 2-4 more minutes, stirring constantly, until the white sauce bubbles, thickens, and becomes creamy. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the gruyere, cheddar, 1 teaspoon salt, a dash of black pepper, and the nutmeg.
Add the cooked pasta and the diced ham to the pot with the sauce. Stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little bit more milk to thin to the desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Transfer the ham and pasta mixture to a greased 2-quart (about 8-inch square) baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and a dash of garlic powder. Sprinkle the buttered crumbs over the top of the dish.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Serve hot and garnish with a dash of paprika or chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Notes

To cut down on the prep time, get the pasta water boiling while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (such as grating the cheese). Then, as the pasta cooks, you can whisk together the cheese sauce. This way the pasta isn't sitting around getting cold while you prepare the sauce, and everything comes together quickly at the end.

Nutrition