This Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake is loaded with meat and veggies. Homemade macaroni and cheese is an easy pasta dinner that everyone will love.
When I need comfort food, I always go for easy pasta recipes. A pan of this Cheesy Chicken Pasta satisfies that need and always disappears at dinner.
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I am definitely enjoying sharing some of our favorite easy dinner recipes with you guys.
And judging from the amount of response and traffic on this Chicken Supreme Pasta Bake, you guys are loving them too. I still have a few more delicious pasta recipes up my sleeve. Well, actually they are in my belly and on my computer just waiting for the right day to share them.
Dinner is something that everyone has to eat, so why not share the ones that are kid approved in our house.
Did you eat ham this past weekend for Easter dinner? Are you looking for leftover ham recipes for the remainder of the ham in our fridge?
I say chop it up and add it along with some broccoli to this Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. Pasta with ham and cheese will get two thumbs up at the dinner table. You could also use the leftover ham in this Ham and Tomato Egg Bake and eat that for breakfast all week.
Even the pickiest eaters will gobble this ooey, gooey cheesy pasta dinner in a hurry. Well, they might pick around the ham if they are anything like our youngest. But I kind of figured he would do that.
He has it in his head that he doesn't like ham, but he will eat bacon. It doesn't matter how many times we tell him that both meats come from the same animal. He refuses to do ham. Now put a Veggie Pasta Salad in front of the kid, and he will go to town on it.
This Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. If you want to save some time, you can prep some of the ingredients ahead of time.
- Cook the noodles earlier and toss them with a little bit of olive oil, so they do not stick together.
- Chop the onions and ham and store in separate containers in the refrigerator.
- Crush the crackers and place in a Ziplock baggie.
Then when you go to cook dinner, all your prep is done, and you can put this Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake together in minutes.
How to make Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake:
Sauté the onions and butter in a large pot, then stir in the leftover ham and garlic and let it warm up.
Run some hot water over the frozen broccoli in a colander to thaw it out. Drain this and add it to the ham mixture.
Now you can either set this pan aside and use a new one, or spoon that mixture into a bowl and set aside it aside, so you can reuse the dirty pan.
Melt some butter and cook the flour in it for 1 minute. Add some milk and stir until it is thickened slightly. This is a basic roux that you can use as a base for any pasta recipe.
Stir in the shredded cheese until it is melted and gooey.
Add the all ready cooked pasta and ham mixture, season it with some salt and pepper, and spoon it into a casserole dish.
Top it with more cheese and cracker crumbs and pop it into the oven for 20 minutes or so to melt the cheese on top.
Ooey, gooey, pasta dinners are definitely ones that get rave reviews from everyone in our house.
More easy pasta dinners that you may enjoy:
This Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Tortellini is full of meats, veggies, and gooey cheese. Quick and easy comfort food on a busy night makes everyone smile.
A creamy cheese filling makes these Sausage Alfredo Stuffed Shells a delicious and easy pasta dinner that can be on the table in 30 minutes.
These Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Lasagna Rolls are filled with a cheesy meat and veggie filling and then covered in more cheese.
Combining buffalo chicken, cheese, and pasta in one casserole creates a meal that everyone will love. This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is delicious and can be on the dinner table in 30 minutes.
Recipe
Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Meat, veggies, and cheese make this Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake a delicious and comforting dinner. The added cracker crumbs on top give it a nice flavor and texture.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta (small or medium shells)
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups cubed cooked ham
- 1 cup frozen broccoli
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup crushed butter cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 or 9 inch pan with nonstick spray.
- Cook the pasta noodles al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Saute the onion in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ham and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Run the broccoli under hot water for 1 minute to thaw partially. Drain and add to the ham mixture. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly stir in the milk. Cook and stir for a few more minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, ¾ cup cheddar, and ¾ cup mozzarella. Stir until melted and creamy.
- Add the ham mixture and pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with all the remaining cheeses. Top with the cracker crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Serve hot. Store remaining pasta in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 373Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 935mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 24g
*The post for Ham and Broccoli Pasta Bake was first published on April 23, 2014. The photos have been updated and it was republished on April 25, 2019.
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Amy
I've made this dish several times and everyone in our family (picky toddler included) loves it. I'd like to prepare this ahead of time for a friend - do you think it would freeze well? Should I bake it before freezing?
Jocelyn
I'm glad your family loves this dish. I have actually never frozen it, so I'm not sure if it would be better to freeze before or after baking. Let me know if you try it.
Ashlyn+@+Belle+of+the+Kitchen
Jocelyn, I wanted to tell you that I just made this for dinner and it was amazing! I found your recipe on Pinterest while looking for ways to use up leftover ham. I love how this used up almost all of the ham that I had left, and your tip on running hot water over the broccoli to thaw it: GENIUS! Will definitely be doing that in the future. Thank you for such a yummy recipe! 🙂
cloey
Wonder if i can use fresh broccoli, then should i steam it before adding it to the ham? or just use it? thanks!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I usually use frozen and just run hot water over it to thaw it out some. My guess for using fresh it to steam it slightly, so it isn't crunchy when you stir it in. I wouldn't steam it so much that it is mushy though! I hope you enjoy it!
P
I am making this tonight. It looks awesome. Now the only decision I have to make is whether or not to throw some bacon that needs to be used in with it. 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
I hope you went with the added bacon...sounds like a good plan 🙂
Jocelyn Wynder
I made this for dinner tonight and it turned out so good. I forgot the cracker crumble part, as I assembled the dish this morning. Great way to use up left over ham from a big family dinner. I'm looking forward to making this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Wahoo! I am so glad your family enjoyed this dinner! And awesome name BTW 🙂
Chels R.
LOOOVE how easy and delicious this looks!
shawn @ IWYD
Love the steam action of that first shot!! This looks fabulous!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Shawn! 🙂
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
I wish I had ham left over from the weekend so I could make this tonight!
Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos
Ooey, gooey, cheese dishes are my favorite too!! This looks like a winner 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Becca! 😉
Lisa @ Garnish with Lemon
This would be gone instantly in our house too! Perfect comfort food!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Lisa! 🙂
Kelly
This pasta bake looks fantastic Jocelyn! I love these comfort dishes that you are sharing with us and can't wait to see more 🙂 Anything with cheese is a winner in my book 🙂 Pinned!
Trish - Mom On Timeout
This bake looks absolutely scrumptious Jocelyn! I am a total sucker for anything with ham 🙂 Pinned!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Trish! 🙂
Chloe @ foodlikecake
That looks so good! I love all cheesy pasta dishes- so good! 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Chloe! 🙂
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker
I am loving all these comfort dishes!! Especially that we are still lingering in the cooler side of things. This mac and cheese bake just looks amazing. Everything in one dish...easy clean up, yummy and crunchy! Sign me up 🙂
Tanya
Looks so good! An entire meal in one dish, best way to eat 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
I agree! Thanks Tanya! 🙂
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking
I'll take your youngest's ham!! It's one of my favorite meats, and I can never get enough, especially around Christmas and Easter when my family buys a huge honey-baked ham. Best thing ever! And keep those easy dinner recipes coming! With how much I bake during the day, I rarely have the energy to cook something at night... So salads are a big staple right now. 😉 Oh well!
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles
This sounds really good, Jocelyn! I love the tips of making ingredients ahead of time to save some prep time!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Lyuba!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
I don't have any left over ham but that would not stop me from making this! Looks great!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Nancy!
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent
Looks delicious! I love new ideas for dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Chelsea @ Gal on a Mission
I absolutely love dishes that are very hearty and ones where you are able to use up leftovers - especially ham! Yummy. I could definitely have this for breakfast, Jocelyn! 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thanks Chelsea! I love dishes that use up leftovers too! 😉