Baked Ham Penne Pasta
Baked Ham Penne Pasta is a family favorite for any night of the week. Penne pasta, savory ham in a rich and creamy garlic cheese sauce is a hearty and delicious meal perfect for leftover ham!
This pasta casserole is one of those dishes that is gone in a flash when dinner time rolls around. It is the kind of dish that you will make again and again.
Why You Will Love this Ham Pasta Casserole
- Leftover Ham Recipe: This is one of our favorite ways to enjoy leftover ham. It is a filling recipe that uses just a bit of leftover holiday ham.
- Delicious Flavor Combination: The savory ham pairs perfectly with the creamy garlic sauce and pasta.
- Easy Weeknight Dinner: This dinner comes together in less than an hour and is sure to be a meal that everyone will love.
Ingredients for Penne Pasta Casserole
- Penne Pasta – Mostaccoli, Gemelli or Fettuccine will work too.
- Ham
- Butter – I use salted butter, unsalted works well too.
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Rosemary – dried rosemary can be substituted
- Onion
- All Purpose Flour
- Whole Milk or Heavy Cream
- Swiss Cheese or Gruyere Cheese
- Sour Cream
Step-by-Step Directions for Pasta Casserole with Ham
- Cook pasta about half way in salted boiling water. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt butter in a large, oven-safe pan. Cook minced garlic, and chopped onion flour over medium-high heat. Stir often, cooking until onions start to caramelize.
- Add flour, cooking about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk, cooking until slightly thickened, 1 – 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Whisk in chopped rosemary, half of the shredded cheese and sour cream.
- Add the cooked pasta, diced ham (reserve 1/4 cup for the top if desired) to the sauce.
- Stir until well combined.
- Top with remaining cheese and ham.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and the top is starting to brown.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary if desired.
Recipe Notes for Baked Ham Penne Pasta
- Make Ahead: The casserole can be made ahead by covering and refrigerating before baking.
- Baking Dish: The cheesy ham pasta bake can be placed in a 2.5 quart baking dish or 9 x 13 baking dish before placing in the oven.
- Storing Leftovers: Place leftover pasta bake in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Place in a pan with 1- 2 tablespoons of milk and cook over medium heat, stirring often until heated through.
- Variations: This is a great alternative to ham and potato casserole. Switch up the pasta for what you have on hand or use your favorite. This will also work with just about any cheese, cheddar or gouda would be great options.
Best Sides for Pasta Casseroles
- Add a green salad and some garlic bread and you have a complete dinner that is easy to get on the dinner table.
- Broccoli with Toasted Walnuts or Mexican Corn are easy vegetable sides that pair well with creamy pasta.
More Recipe Ideas with Leftover Ham
- I love to cook a ham over the weekend and then have it for breakfast sandwiches, wraps or salads through the week.
- My One Pan Cheesy Ham Pasta is also a great dinner option for leftover ham. It’s quick, easy and delicious!
- Ham, Mushroom & Spinach Quiche is a great dish for any meal of the day. My family loves it for brunch or dinner. Great flavor combination.
- Baked Denver Omelet is another one to serve for any meal of the day. The classic flavors of ham, cheese, peppers and onions. It’s so simple to make and is always a family favorite.
Get a delicious dinner on the table that will satisfy even the picky eaters with this Baked Ham Penne Pasta Recipe. It is loaded with delicious flavors and it’s so easy to make.
If you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a comment and a five star review. Help us share on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
Baked Ham Penne Pasta
Baked Ham Penne Pasta is a family favorite for any night of the week. Penne pasta, savory ham and a rich and creamy garlic – cheese sauce is a hearty and delicious meal perfect for leftover ham!
Servings: 6
Calories: 452kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz Penne Pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese or gruyere, divided
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups diced ham
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cook penne pasta half way- about 6 minutes, in salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, Add butter to a large, oven-safe pan with chopped onion and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes until onions are softened and start to caramelize. Add flour and whisk together, cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add milk and cook, whisking until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add rosemary, 1 cup of cheese and sour cream. Whisk until smooth.
- Add pasta and ham, saving a bit of ham for the top. Stir until combined. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and ham. .
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 748mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g
How much ham is used in this recipe? It is not listed.
Hi Joan,
It is 2 cups diced ham. I updated, thanks for catching that!
2 cups of diced ham
I made this today for Sunday dinner and it was really good! I didn’t have Swiss cheese so I used cheddar instead and couldn’t use onion because of diet restrictions so I used dehydrated onion. My husband and I really liked it. Was nice to have something different.
Looks like a good recipe! When you say “Add butter to a pan with chopped onion, garlic and rosemary. Cook 2-3 minutes” then “Add milk and cook” what is your burner set to? Medium?
Sorry if I seem dense – just more of a baker than a cook. 🙂
Hi Melissa,
I will add a note, thanks for asking! I would say medium heat would be just right.
~ Milisa
What size pan to cook it in the oven?
Hi Carmella,
A 9 x 13 casserole dish or 5 quart braiser or dutch oven.
~ Milisa
Had leftover ham from Easter dinner; I googled recipes and this came up– caught my eye as I had all the ingredients already. This is delicious! Very easy to prepare, and you can tweak the recipe (I didn’t have rosemary so used Tuscan seasonings). Thanks for a very tasty dish to use up holiday leftovers. It will go in my favorite recipes file.
Terry,
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s my favorite too!
~Milisa
What size dish did you use with this recipe? Thanks
Judy,
A 9 x 13 works great. I hope that helps.
~Milisa
Yes good to know , it helps because we know we can use any pan , nut the cooking times change
Made this and added left over green beans and some corn. It smelled great cooking . SOoo Tasty! Everyone loved it !
Hi Dee,
Great idea to add veggies to the pasta, I bet that is delicious. Thanks for stopping by and letting us know y’all enjoyed it.
~ Milisa
Thank you for the great idea. I did add a bunch of extra flavours but it smells and looks delicious!
Hi Kim,
That’s the best part of cooking is to make it your own.
Thanks,
Milisa
Can this be frozen before baking?
Hi Lee,
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work. Let me know if you try it.
~ Milisa
Do you leave a cover on while baking or not?
My email is theresa.ryman@gmail.com
Hi Theresa,
Bake uncovered.
~ Milisa
My husband does not like Swiss cheese at all. What kind of cheese, or blend I’d cheeses, can I substitute
Hi Melody,
Provolone, white cheddar, gouda or Monterey jack would all work, it’s a really flexible recipe.
~ Milisa
Could you convert this recipe to be made in an Instant Pot? I think it would be a great IP recipe.
Can this be frozen and cooked later?
Hi Patricia,
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work.
~ Milisa
Made this tonight, what a great way to use up ham! Was delicious, the onion garlic and rosemary really added great smells and taste. Will save recipe to use again in the future.
Hi Connie,
So glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate you stopping by to let me know it was a hit.
~ Milisa
Do you use a 16oz box of penne pasta or 2 cups of penne pasta cooked?
Hi Debbie,
I cooked a 16 ounce box of penne pasta.
~ Milisa
How long can it be refrigerated before cooking? Am I able to prepare this in the evening and cook in oven the following afternoon?
That would work just fine. It might need a few more minutes in the oven after being refrigerated.
~ Milisa
I couldn’t get the milk mixture to thicken at all. I followed the instructions. I wonder what I did wrong?
Hi Heather,
It doesn’t get super thick, if you were not using whole milk, that could make it thinner also. I hope that helps.
~ Milisa
was easy to prepare… added salt and topped with pepper and half with fresh jalapenos…Needed a CHEESY recipe to use up the leftover ham. I used 1 cup swiss and 1cup aged Havarti( swiss seemed to mild for our taste.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for stopping by with your additions, my family would love the jalapeños. Glad you got the chance to try it.
~ Milisa
Could half the recipe. It’s only my husband and I. Usually my husband grills the ham steak but this recipe sounds so good and something different for dinner. Judy
Hi Judy,
Halving the recipe will work just fine. I hope you give it a try!
~ Milisa
Forgot to ask how long should I cook it. Since it’s a half recipe
Could half the recipe. It’s only my husband and I. Usually my husband grills the ham steak but this recipe sounds so good and something different for dinner. How long would I cook it for?
Hi Judy,
I would bake it for about 15-20 minutes for half the recipe.
~ Milisa
Could I half the recipe. It’s only my husband and I. Usually my husband grills the ham steak but this recipe sounds so good and something different for dinner. How long would I cook it for?