Who doesn't love a good casserole? If you love pasta, ham, and cream, you'll love this all-in-one meal. It's great for feeding a hungry crowd.

The secret to a tasty casserole is cooking it slowly in a cast-iron casserole dish that evenly spreads the heat while preserving all the flavor. And what better way to serve it?

The veggies in this ham pasta casserole are optional, but it's a great way to use any left-over vegetables you happen to have in the refrigerator. If you are trying to get vegetables into people who don't normally touch them, then this is definitely the way to do it.

It's also a fantastic way to repurpose leftover roasted ham. Make a ham roast one day, and enjoy creative leftovers with a casserole the next!

Not only is this an easy ham casserole recipe, but we've included some FAQs so you've got everything you need to know in one place.

Velvety Ham and Noodle Casserole

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Category

Lunch/Dinner

Servings

6

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz of egg noodles, uncooked
• 2 cups of veggies of your choice, fresh or frozen
• 2 cups of ham, cooked, chopped, and trimmed of fat
• 2 cups shredded cheese, packed
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp of dried onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs or something similar (optional)
• Fresh or dried parsley, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet, making sure not to overcook them.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a medium-sized casserole dish.
3. In a large bowl (or directly in the casserole dish to save time cleaning up), combine veggies, ham, soup, sour cream, and milk.
4. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese.
5. Add in garlic powder, pepper, and onion soup mix. Mix well.
6. When the noodles are done, drain them and add them to the casserole dish, stirring everything together.
7. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the mixture.
8. Top with breadcrumbs. (Optional)
9. Completely cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for 25 min.
10. Remove the lid or foil and bake for another 20 min, or until your ham and noodle casserole is nice and golden brown on top.
11. If using parsley, sprinkle over the top just before serving.
12. Pour a glass of wine, and enjoy!

Recipe Note

*If you want a thicker sauce, skip the milk and use 2 cans of soup

Ham and Noodle Casserole FAQs

Why does the recipe call for canned soup?

Ham casserole with noodles goes great with canned soup because of its creamy texture.

You can use a variety of soups. Cream of celery, cream of chicken, cream of bacon, cream of corn... or really any creamy soup will go work great in this dish.

How can I make ham and noodle casserole without canned soup?

If you don't have canned soup on hand you can whip up your own sauce!

1. Heat 4 Tbsp of butter and 2 Tbps of olive oil together in a skillet.
2. Once the butter has melted, add one minced onion and cook for about 2 min or until soft.
3. Sprinkle 4 Tbps of flour over the onion and whisk well.
4. Continuing to whisk, gradually add 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth until your sauce reaches the desired consistency. (Use milk instead of broth if you prefer a very milky sauce.)
5. Add the sour cream and stir.
6. Continue with the recipe as normal, omitting the milk.

What other meat can I use?

If you don't have ham on hand, or if you don't prefer your casserole with ham, you can substitute with sausage, bacon, beef, or chicken in this recipe.

I like spices, what can I add to give it a bit of a kick?

You can add a variety of ingredients to spice it up.

• a dash of Tabasco sauce
• a couple Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
• a Tbsp of Dijon mustard
• a tsp of curry powder
• a tsp of cumin powder
• some crushed, fresh garlic.

You'll also find that using the dried onion soup mix as suggested enhances the flavor, rather than dried onion powder.

How long will my ham noodle casserole keep?

This dish can stay in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container and is easily reheated. Your ham casserole will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, provided you have stored it in an airtight container.

You can also freeze individual portions of your casserole for easy meal prep during the busy work week!

Can I make ham and noodle casserole ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can assemble your casserole, put it in the refrigerator, and bake it when you're ready later that day.

Don't wait longer than 1 day if you make it ahead as the ingredients will likely get mushy.

What can I serve on the side?

This recipe can be a meal in itself, but you could easily serve a garden or caesar salad alongside this dish.

If you didn't fill this casserole with veggies, try adding a side of roasted asparagus or sauteed summer squash.

Can I use frozen veggies?

Yes! If you don't have fresh veggies on hand, frozen will work just as well.

Don't worry about cooking them before you add them to your mix. They'll thaw when cooking in the oven. Just make sure they are free of ice so the sauce doesn't thin out while it cooks.

Why did my noodles turn out mushy and soft?

Its possible you cooked them too long at the beginning of this process.

Cook your noodles 'al dante' for perfect noodle consistency all the way to the end.

However, you decide to customize and serve up this recipe, Ham Casserole with Noodles is sure to be a hit with friends and family of all ages. If you loved this recipe and are looking for another cheesy casserole to add to your repertoire check out these recipes for Cauliflower Casserole or Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole.