My tasty Leftover Ham Casserole with Broccoli and Cheese combines all of my favorite flavors in a creamy pasta with a crunchy breadcrumb topping! Tender pieces of ham are tossed with broccoli, pasta and an easy from scratch cheese sauce to make this perfect quick dinner!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time40 minutesmins
Course: Casseroles, Dinner Recipes, Leftover Ideas, Main Course, Pasta
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃) and butter or spray your 9 x 13 baking dish, 2.5 qt casserole dish, or Dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook 16 oz ziti pasta according to the boxed directions, but remove the pasta 2 minutes earlier than the recommended cooking time (for an al dente texture).
Make the sauce while cooking your pasta. Bring a saucepan to medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoon butter and add 1 tablespoon garlic, 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, seasoning (½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper), and cubed 4 oz cream cheese.
Bring the sauce base to medium heat and whisk to incorporate the cream cheese. Add grated 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese and 1 ½ cups mozzarella. Stir until melted.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained and rinsed under cold water, transfer into the prepared baking dish. Add 12 oz broccoli (thawed if using frozen), chopped 2 cups ham, and cheese sauce. Stir to combine.
In a small microwave-safe dish, melt the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter. Add the ½ cup breadcrumbs to the dish and combine using a fork until crumbly in appearance. Spread buttered breadcrumb over combined pasta.
Bake in the center of the oven at 350℉ (175℃) for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the casserole is bubbling around the sides. Remove from the oven and serve.
Notes
*To quickly cook fresh broccoli for use in this casserole, add it to your boiling pasta for about 2 minutes before draining the pasta and adding to the casserole or baking dish.