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!
This 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 make again and again.
Baked Ham Penne Pasta
We could eat pasta every day of the week and really it doesn't get any easier than a pasta dinner and the flavor combinations are endless. We are also loving this easy Creamy Lemon Garlic Spaghetti for a quick supper. My kids devour this Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo, it better than the restaurant version!
I love to cook a ham over the weekend and then have it for sandwiches, wraps or salads through the week. Since we are here on the ranch everyday, I cook 2-3 times every day.
Of course we always have a Petit Jean Meats ham for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. We always have leftovers for days and I try to get creative to use up the ham. This Baked Ham Penne Pasta is a favorite.
We also love my Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole for leftover ham. It's perfect for those days that I don't have time to stand over the stove to prepare dinner.
You an also get this casserole ready for the oven and pop it in the refrigerator and bake it when you are ready. A great make- ahead dinner and it's delicious enough for entertaining guests.
How to Make Baked Ham Penne Pasta:
Ingredients:
- Penne Pasta
- Ham
- Butter
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Rosemary
- Chopped onion
- Flour
- Milk
- Swiss Cheese
- Sour Cream
Cook pasta about half way and drain. Make the sauce with butter, garlic, onion, rosemary, flour and milk. Add cheese and sour cream. Combine pasta, ham and sauce into a baking dish. Refrigerate or bake immediately.
This is a great alternative to ham and potato casserole. Switch up the pasta for what you have on hand or your favorite. You can also switch up the cheese, white cheddar or gouda would be great options.
Add a green salad and some garlic bread and you have a complete dinner that everyone will enjoy!
More Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham:
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.
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!
Ingredients
- 16 oz Penne Pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided use
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups diced ham
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cook penne pasta half way- about 6 minutes, drain and set aside.
- Add butter to a pan with chopped onion, garlic and rosemary. Cook 2-3 minutes until onions are softened. Add flour and whisk together, cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add milk and cook, whisking until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of cheese and sour cream. Whisk until smooth.
- Add pasta and ham and stir until combined. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Cover and refrigerate or bake immediately.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 542mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 28g
Nutritional calculations are estimated and may not be accurate.
Joan
How much ham is used in this recipe? It is not listed.
Milisa
Hi Joan,
It is 2 cups diced ham. I updated, thanks for catching that!
Deborah
2 cups of diced ham
Kristi
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.
Melissa
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. 🙂
Milisa
Hi Melissa,
I will add a note, thanks for asking! I would say medium heat would be just right.
~ Milisa
Carmella
What size pan to cook it in the oven?
Milisa
Hi Carmella,
A 9 x 13 casserole dish or 5 quart braiser or dutch oven.
~ Milisa
Terry
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.
Milisa
Terry,
So glad you enjoyed it! It's my favorite too!
~Milisa
Judy Wade
What size dish did you use with this recipe? Thanks
Milisa
Judy,
A 9 x 13 works great. I hope that helps.
~Milisa
Jacqueline steier
Yes good to know , it helps because we know we can use any pan , nut the cooking times change
Dee
Made this and added left over green beans and some corn. It smelled great cooking . SOoo Tasty! Everyone loved it !
Milisa
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
Kim
Thank you for the great idea. I did add a bunch of extra flavours but it smells and looks delicious!
Milisa
Hi Kim,
That's the best part of cooking is to make it your own.
Thanks,
Milisa
Lee
Can this be frozen before baking?
Milisa
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
Theresa Ryman
Do you leave a cover on while baking or not?
My email is theresa.ryman@gmail.com
Milisa
Hi Theresa,
Bake uncovered.
~ Milisa
Melody
My husband does not like Swiss cheese at all. What kind of cheese, or blend I’d cheeses, can I substitute
Milisa
Hi Melody,
Provolone, white cheddar, gouda or Monterey jack would all work, it's a really flexible recipe.
~ Milisa
Marcia
Could you convert this recipe to be made in an Instant Pot? I think it would be a great IP recipe.
Patricia Doyle
Can this be frozen and cooked later?
Milisa
Hi Patricia,
I haven't tried it but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work.
~ Milisa
Connie Harding
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.
Milisa
Hi Connie,
So glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate you stopping by to let me know it was a hit.
~ Milisa
Debbie
Do you use a 16oz box of penne pasta or 2 cups of penne pasta cooked?
Milisa
Hi Debbie,
I cooked a 16 ounce box of penne pasta.
~ Milisa
Crawford
How long can it be refrigerated before cooking? Am I able to prepare this in the evening and cook in oven the following afternoon?
Milisa
That would work just fine. It might need a few more minutes in the oven after being refrigerated.
~ Milisa
Heather
I couldn't get the milk mixture to thicken at all. I followed the instructions. I wonder what I did wrong?
Milisa
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
ANN m CHADWELL
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.
Milisa
Hi Ann,
Thanks for stopping by with your additions, my family would love the jalapeños. Glad you got the chance to try it.
~ Milisa