Ham Pasta Casserole

Close up of the ham casserole with cheese sauce on a wooden serving spoon.

Ham Pasta Casserole takes comfort food to the next level. Loaded with tender pasta, smokey diced savory ham, a creamy cheese sauce, and a buttery ritz cracker topping - it's rich, satisfying, and so creamy. A great recipe for using up leftover ham and feeding your hungry family.

Course Casserole, Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword ham pasta casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 523kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

1 box (16 oz) elbow macaroni
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (or half and half)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces velveeta cheese cubed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound diced cooked ham (2 cups)
32 Ritz crackers crushed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, over high heat, and cook the elbow macaroni pasta according to the package directions. When done, drain the noodles (do not rinse them) and set them aside.
1 box (16 oz) elbow macaroni
In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes (while whisking very frequently) until the roux turns golden brown.
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Slowly whisk in the milk until it's smooth and combined.
2 cups whole milk
Whisk in the shredded cheddar cheese, cubed velveeta cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and thickened.
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 4 ounces velveeta cheese, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Stir the cooked & drained macaroni, and the diced ham into the cheese sauce.
1 pound diced cooked ham
Transfer the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the crushed ritz crackers on top of the casserole.
32 Ritz crackers
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm & enjoy!

Notes

Ritz Crackers : 32 whole crackers is equal to one sleeve; but this can vary if you are using the fresh stacks which have less per sleeve. Switch up the flavor if wanted and use any variety of Ritz crackers such as everything bagel, garlic herb, whole wheat, sea salt, etc.

All-Purpose Flour : This is a must for making the roux. You could use gluten-free flour or rice flour for a GF option; if doing this I recommend adding an additional 2 tablespoons of butter.

Cheddar Cheese : You can use mild, medium, or sharp cheddar cheese. Pre-shredded cheese will work, but you will find a smoother and creamier texture to the creamy sauce if you grate the cheese yourself from a block of cheese. I think cheddar is best, but you could use Swiss cheese, Colby jack cheese, or pepper jack cheese for a different flavor profile.

Whole Milk : It's best to use a higher fat milk in order to have a thick creamy cheesy sauce. I recommend using whole milk or half and half, and don't recommend using anything lower in fat. Of course you can if you want to, but the sauce may not be as thick and creamy if using a lower-fat milk.

Ham : You can buy a package of diced cooked ham from the store, cut up leftover ham, or use some freshly sliced ham from the deli counter and chop it up. One pound of ham is equal to 2 cups chopped/diced ham.

Nutrition