Ham Casserole

A quick, effortless, and delicious wonder-filled casserole perfect for brunch or dinner. Fantastic, cheesy, and flavorful! The hearty cheddar cheese mixture complements the savory ham and tender party of veggies.

Course dinner, Main

Cuisine American, soul, Southern

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 806kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Topping

1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed (any butter cracker will do)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Ham Casserole

1 12-ounce package (340g) egg noodles
1½ pounds (680g) ham, cubed
2 tablespoons (30g) butter
1 teaspoon (5ml) olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (1g) fresh thyme, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon (5.5g) Italian seasoning
¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (470ml) whole milk
1½ cups (350g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons (10ml) Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F/177℃. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
Combine crushed crackers, melted butter, and parsley flakes in a small mixing bowl. Mix using a spatula until fully combined. Set aside.
Cook egg noodles according to package instructions to al dente. When ready, drain the noodles, and set them aside until ready to assemble the casserole.
Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet, then add olive oil. Add onion, celery, minced garlic, and thyme when the oil is slightly hot and the butter melts. Saute for about 2-3 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Then add carrots, bell pepper, and Italian seasoning. Continue to saute for 3-4 more minutes until vegetables are slightly cooked. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir until fully combined and the flour dissolves. Cook for another minute or two to remove the raw flour taste.
Reduce heat to low, then whisk in milk and continue stirring until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon, about 3-5 minutes. Then stir in the cheddar and cream cheese, leaving about a handful of the cheddar cheese for the topping. Mix with a wooden spoon until completely melted.
Add drained egg noodles, ham, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well—season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the ham casserole into a prepared baking dish, then sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the surface and top with the cracker mixture. Bake at 350℉/177℃ until heated through and bubbly, 20-25 minutes.
As soon as the casserole is heated through, take it out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese and chopped fresh parsley over the top, and serve.

Notes

If you have leftover ham, that works great. But if not, packaged cubed ham from the grocery store will work.
Use any of your fave vegetables for this recipe: broccoli, peas, mushroom, etc. but make sure to chop them into bite-sized pieces.
If you don't have egg noodle pasta, you can substitute it with another small pasta shape, such as penne or farfalle.
Ritz crackers can be subbed with an equal amount of crushed potato chips, panko breadcrumbs, or other crackers.
If you want to make this ahead, add a little extra milk so the al dente noodles don't soak up too much liquid and dry out your casserole.
Do cook the flour before adding the milk so you don't get that raw flour taste in your finished casserole.
Use an ovenproof pot to saute everything, and assemble everything in the same pot. Then put it in the oven for easy cleanup and a truly one-pot meal.

Nutrition