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Pasta and Ham Bake

Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

This hearty Macaroni and Cheese with Ham is flavorful and delicious with its rich, creamy cheese sauce and the addition of cooked ham (great use for leftover ham).
Course Main Course, Pasta
Keyword ham, leftover ham, macaroni, macaroni and cheese, macaroni and cheese with ham, pasta, pasta dish
Servings 8
My Island Bistro Kitchen Barbara - My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 8 oz/226 grams dry elbow macaroni
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 2/3 cups whole milk, room temperature
  • ¼ cup cream cheese, softened at room temperature [no substitutes]
  • 3 tbsp sour cream, room temperature [no substitutes]
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/3 cup Havarti cheese, shredded [see Note 1 below]
  • 1/3 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded [see Note 1 below]
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • ¾ tsp dry mustard powder
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • 1/16 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/16 tsp freshly ground white pepper (optional)
  • Olive oil (for drizzling cooked macaroni)
  • 8 oz/226 grams cooked ham, diced into ¼“ - ½” cubes (apx. 1½ cups)

Topping (optional)

  • ¾ cup finely ground soft breadcrumbs
  • 2½ tbsp melted butter
  • Sprinkle of chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Grease a 2 - 2½-quart casserole or individual serving size oven-safe baking dishes of desired size. Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Cook macaroni according to package directions but undercook the pasta by 1½ - 2 minutes less than package directions indicate for pasta’s al dente state.
  3. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in separate saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat slightly and whisk the flour into the melted butter until mixture starts bubbling, approximately 1 minute or slightly less. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is heated, smooth, and starts to thicken. Reduce heat, if necessary, to prevent mixture from scorching. Stir in the cream cheese and sour cream until blended.
  4. In small handfuls, gradually add the shredded Cheddar, Havarti, and Mozzarella cheeses. Stir after each addition until cheeses are melted and ingredients fully blended. Season with the sea salt, dry mustard powder, paprika, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and white pepper. Stirring constantly, cook mixture for approximately 1 – 2 minutes longer. Remove sauce from heat and set aside.
  5. Drain cooked macaroni, reserving about 3 tablespoons of the cooking water. Return drained macaroni to the pot or a large heatproof bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. Toss gently to coat. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and stir gently. Stir in the diced ham. If mixture is a bit drier than, or not as fluid as, desired (different brands of pasta can absorb liquids differently), add liquid reserved from the macaroni cooking, adding the extra liquid only one-half tablespoon at a time, and adding only enough for the desired consistency (pasta may take some, but not all, of the liquid or none at all). Stir gently to avoid breaking down the pasta.
  6. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish or, alternatively, divide mixture equally between individual greased oven-safe ramekins or other single-serving baking dishes of desired size.
  7. To make the topping (optional), stir the melted butter into the bread crumbs then add the chopped parsley. Distribute topping over macaroni mixture. Bake for 15-18 minutes (slightly less for individual shallow baking dishes), or just until cheese starts to bubble around the edges of the casserole dish and topping is lightly tanned. Do not overbake as it will dry out and the macaroni may break down. Serve immediately with a side green salad of choice of biscuits, bread, or rolls.
  8. This Macaroni and Cheese with Ham dish freezes well, unbaked.

Recipe Notes

Yield: Apx. 8 servings

[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]

Note1: This dish may be made entirely with Cheddar cheese so long as the amounts of Havarti and Mozzarella cheeses called for in the recipe are added in to the overall amount of Cheddar cheese used. Alternatively, other melting cheeses of choice that complement ham can be substituted for the Havarti and Mozzarella cheeses – e.g., Gruyère, Monterey Jack, or Colby, etc.

Note 2: If you don’t have leftover ham on hand, deli ham can be substituted – ensure the ham is cut ¼“ – ½“ thick for dicing.