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Hearty mac and cheese with ham is a deliciously cheesy baked casserole that will feed a crowd and is perfect for sharing!
It’s better with Ham!
We have loved this mac and cheese with ham for years, ever since my sister made it for one of our Sunday dinners. It quickly became a favorite pasta recipe and one we have frequently!
Although we love our classic Homemade Mac and Cheese, this version is just as good and extra hearty with the ham chunks! What’s also great about this dish is it can served as a main dish or a side dish too – and is especially great for holidays!
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Simple. There are few steps, simple ingredients, and it bakes in only 30 minutes.
- Use it up! Easily use leftover Honey Glazed Ham and transform it into a deliciously filling family-friendly dish!
- Perfect for sharing. This casserole is kid-friendly and feeds a crowd – a best meal to take to families.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
- 12 ounces egg noodles wide – or use elbow macaroni, penne, or bow-tie pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt – add to the boiling water to infuse the noodles with flavor
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups whole milk – or 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour – used to thicken the sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes), plus more if needed – or use plain garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground – For even more flavor sprinkle in red chili flakes.
- 3½ cups Italian Cheese Blend, divided – The original recipe calls for a blend of Fontina, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. The blend I use includes Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, Parmesan, Fontina, and Asiago. If grating cheese, make a blend with your favorite mixture to equal 3½ cups.
- 6 ounces ham cubes – or use sliced sausage, chicken cubes, or top with cooked bacon bits
- 1 tablespoon parsley, fresh and finely chopped – or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon basil, dried
- optional topping – Mix ½ cup of bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle it evenly over the top before baking.
- optional mix-ins – ½ cup of broccoli florets, peas, or corn
How to Make Mac and Cheese With Ham
- PREP. Butter a 9×13-inch glass baking dish and set aside.
- NOODLES. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt, then 12 ounces egg noodles. Cook the noodles to al dente. Drain when done, but DO NOT rinse the noodles.
- SAUCE. In a large bowl, whisk 1½ cups heavy cream, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons flour, ½ teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes), and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir in 2 cups of Italian cheese. Add the noodles and toss to coat.
- MIX. Stir in 6 ounces cubed ham, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, and ½ tablespoon dried basil. Add any more garlic salt and pepper, if needed.
- BAKE. Pour the mixture into your prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups of shredded cheese over the noodle mixture.
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 30-35 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is slightly browning on top.
- SERVE. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
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Mac and Cheese with Ham
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles, wide
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes), plus more if needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 3½ cups Italian Cheese Blend, divided
- 6 ounces ham cubes
- 1 tablespoon parsely, fresh and finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon basil, dried
Instructions
- Butter a 9×13-inch glass baking dish and set aside.
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Add salt to water for boiling. Do not rinse noodles.
- In a large bowl, whisk the cream, milk, flour, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, and pepper.
- Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese. Add the noodles and toss to coat.
- Stir in ham, parsely, and basil. Add any more garlic salt and pepper, if needed
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups of shredded cheese over the noodle mixture.
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly, the cheese melts, and it's slightly browning on top.
- Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Don’t add extra pasta. It can be tempting to add extra pasta and stretch the dish out, but if you add more cooked pasta there won’t be enough sauce to compensate.
Boil the pasta to al dente. Undercooked pasta will absorb more liquid leaving dry pasta.
Coat the pasta completely with the sauce and cheese. Any uncoated pasta that sticks out will dry out.
Add extra cheese on top to completely cover the pasta underneath.
We bake this recipe uncovered so we get a creamy mac and cheese and the cheese on top gets browned with a few crunchy noodles. If you wish, you can bake covered for 20 minutes so that the top noodles don’t get as crisp, and bake uncovered for the remaining 10 minutes.
Prepare the mac and cheese as written, but don’t bake it. Instead let it cool a bit, cover, and store in the fridge for 24 hours, or wrap the pan with plastic and again with foil and freeze for 2-3 months. If needed thaw in the fridge and bake uncovered.
Portion the mac and cheese into individual servings or store in a single container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.
I don’t like when the top noodles get dried so I baked it with aluminum foil on. I loved the finished dish.
I could honestly eat this every day, it’s so good! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Loved the addition of ham in this mac and cheese! Such a delicious twist!
We love this recipe, I am making it again for Christmas Eve! Thanks so much.
A little bit of ham to your Mac n cheese. What could be better? Makes your meal a little heartier.
We have made this a few times since coming across your recipe. My family loves it!! We make it as a side dish or main dish!
I’ve made this for years but I cube up a velveeta cheese block and can evaporated milk, and 1-2 cans of corn drained.
Sounds yummy!!
I love the crunch that baking it gives
I wonder if you can make this the day before and bake it the next day?
You sure could 🙂
I love that you added Ham to this recipe. Great twist on mac and cheese!