Ham and Cheese Casserole

This Ham and Cheese Casserole is comforting in every bite. It’s the ideal recipe for using up leftover ham after a big holiday meal. With only 10 ingredients, and no boiling of the pasta needed, it’s a simple dinner that will serve a crowd quickly and easily!

This Ham and Cheese Casserole is a favorite with my kids. They love the cheesy, creamy sauce paired with smoky ham and tender noodles. My secret is that it’s the easiest dinner recipe for a busy weeknight – you don’t even have to boil the pasta!

I combine everything in a casserole dish in about 10 minutes before it bakes to perfection. You can serve it with a side dish or keep it as the whole meal, it’s super hearty and comforting with every bite. If you love a casserole, try my Chicken Cornbread Casserole or my Tuna Noodle Casserole, you can’t go wrong!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• One dish casserole. Forget using a bunch of pots and pans, this ham and cheese casserole doesn’t even require boiling of the noodles! They cook in the casserole as it bakes in the oven.
• Use up leftover ham. It’s a recipe my family loves to make the day after a holiday meal.
• Customize to your liking. Swap the protein or the cheese, add vegetables, and more! It’s as versatile as you’d like.

Ingredients

Scroll Down to the Bottom of this Post for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Printable Recipe Card 

• Philadelphia Whipped cream cheese: A delicious creamy base to the sauce. I like the texture of whipped but you can also use regular, just be sure to soften it to room temperature prior to using.
• Pasta rotini, penne, cellentani, or fusilli: All different pasta options that I’ve used in this casserole throughout the years! I love pasta with ridges or a curly shape for this to adhere even better to the creamy, cheesy sauce.
• Shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese: Adds all that cheesy goodness to the sauce in every bite.
• Chicken broth, regular or low sodium: Helps with making the sauce the correct consistency, cook the noodles, and also adds richness.
• Seasoning salt or salt and black pepper: Season to taste here, with seasoning salt, mine is a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Garlic powder: A hint of concentrated garlic flavor in every bite.
• Onion powder: The best way to add sweet onion flavor, the powder dissolves into the sauce.
• Cooked ham: Rich and smoky to compliment the cheese nicely.
• Velveeta or American cheese: The secret ingredient to the cheesiest and creamiest sauce to coat the noodles.
• Heavy cream: A little bit adds a rich flavor and helps with the luscious texture.

Tools You’ll Need

• 13″x9″ Baking Dish
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Spatula
• Cheese Grater
• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board

How to Make Ham and Cheese Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a 13×9-inch baking dish, place the whipped cream cheese in the center. Distribute the uncooked pasta and 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese around the cream cheese.
3. Sprinkle on seasoning salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, and drizzle olive oil evenly over the top of the pasta, and cheddar cheese.

4. Pour chicken stock over the mixture. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Carefully remove the foil. Add the cubed ham, Velveeta or American cheese, and 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and heavy cream. Stir the ingredients together. Recover with foil. Return to the oven and bake another 15 minutes.

6. Remove the foil. Add the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top. Bake uncovered 5-10 minutes or until browned and bubbling at the edges. Rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Expert Tips

• No need to boil the pasta! How easy is that? The noodles cook perfectly in the sauce while the casserole bakes in the oven and helps to thicken the sauce.
• Avoid adding the Velveeta cheese until the end of cooking. It will help it to melt to the perfect consistency to make sure the sauce is creamy every time.
• Cover with foil for most of the baking. It’s a technique to keep the steam inside of the casserole dish so that the noodles cook while the casserole bakes in the oven. Uncover at the end to melt and lightly brown the shredded cheddar on top.
• Broil for a couple of minutes at the end if desired. This will add a nice golden brown finish to the casserole.
• Add some vegetables to the mac and cheese. Feel free to stir in peas, cauliflower florets, or broccoli florets for some added veggie goodness.
• Use another protein. You can easily use shredded rotisserie chicken or even pulled turkey if you want.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

You can freeze the leftovers as well for 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Comforting Casserole Recipes

• Broccoli Cheddar Casserole
• King Ranch Chicken Casserole
• Beef Cobbler
• Hamburger Potato Casserole