Cheesy Ham Casserole – Spend With Pennies

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Ham casserole is perfect for those nights when you want a home-cooked meal that’s easy to make and full of flavor.

This casserole is made with ham and pasta tossed in an easy from-scratch cheese sauce. It’s topped with buttery bread crumbs for a great family meal.

This casserole is great for using up leftover ham, and you can even add in broccoli or other leftover veggies for an extra boost of nutrition.

Ingredients in Ham Casserole

I love that this recipe uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen to turn leftover ham into a new meal.

Ham – Use leftover diced ham or purchase ham steaks at the grocery store.

Pasta – Any medium shape works. Try rotini, farfalle, shells, or penne.

Sauce – The sauce is homemade and it’s really easy to make. Thyme and Dijon mustard add lots of flavor to this leftover ham casserole.

Cheese – This recipe uses a combination of cheddar, gruyere (or swiss cheese), and parmesan cheeses for a tasty dish. Feel free to use whatever cheeses you have on hand, just make sure to include one with a bold flavor.

Topping – A topping of buttered Panko bread crumbs with cheese adds a crunchy finish to the casserole.

Cheesy Ham Casserole with cheese being poured on

How to Make Ham Casserole

Homemade Cheese Sauce is easy to make and creates great flavor for this casserole. The sauce for this recipe starts with a roux.

Cook butter & flour in a saucepan per the recipe below.
Slowly whisk in the milk & broth and thicken. Stir in cheese.
Combine cheese sauce, ham, and pasta in a casserole dish.
Top with a crumb topping and bake until bubbly.

pasta and ham in dish with ingredients in bowls around it to make Cheesy Ham Casserole

Cheesy Ham Casserole in the dish before baking

Variations & Tips

Add in veggies if you’d like! Leftover steamed or roasted broccoli, frozen peas, Brussels sprouts, or even cauliflower work in this recipe.

For a quick shortcut sauce, stir together the following:

10 ¾ ounces condensed cream of chicken soup
1 ⅓ cups milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups sharp cheddar and ½ cup gruyere cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon each dried thyme leaves & dijon mustard

Pre-shredded cheese can have starches added to keep it from clumping so it may not melt as well. For this sauce, it’s best to shred your own cheese.

Serve Ham Casserole with…

Ham and cheese casserole is creamy stick-to-your-ribs rich with salt from the ham and cheese. Look for a side dish that is light, fresh and sweet or tangy.

Easy Cheesy Casseroles

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Cheesy Ham Casserole

This easy cheesy ham casserole is the perfect way to use up leftover ham and stretch it to feed a crowd!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix together topping ingredients, set aside.
Cook shells al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
Meanwhile, melt butter, flour and seasonings in a saucepan. Allow to cook 1 minute.
Slowly add in milk and cream while whisking after each addition. The mixture will seem thick at first but will smooth out with each addition.
Once all of the milk/cream is added, whisk while bringing to a boil over medium heat. Allow to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in 2 ½ cups cheddar, gruyere cheese, and parmesan until smooth.
Mix cheese sauce with cooked pasta and ham and place in a 9×13 pan. Add topping and remaining ½ cup of cheese.
Bake 22-26 minutes or until heated through and topping is browned. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

If you don’t have gruyere, substitute swiss cheese or extra cheddar cheese.
Use leftover ham or purchase a ham steak from the grocery store.
Do not overbake the casserole, or it can dry out.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Casserole, Ham, Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine American

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