Image of pasta with ham with the title "Macaroni and cheese with ham"

Use up your leftover holiday ham in this Macaroni and Cheese With Ham! It’s the perfect comfort food and can be frozen for later!

Isn’t it funny how we sometimes use the term “Macaroni and cheese” loosely?

I mean, macaroni is macaroni. If you use a different kind of pasta, it wouldn’t technically be called macaroni and cheese anymore.

But “Rotini and cheese” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. So there you go.

I’ve said this before, but pasta is an absolute staple in our house. I can guarantee that I’ll be loved forever if I make a dish like this every week.

This recipe is put together with a homemade cheese sauce, which is actually really easy to make. If you’ve never done it before, you just melt butter in a pot, stir in flour, and gradually stir in milk until everything thickens into a sauce. Then stir in the cheese. That’s it!

I’ll admit, we’re big fans of Kraft mac and cheese. But that’s got nothing on a dish like this.

Image of pasta, cheese sauce, and ham in a pot

I added some ham to this for some protein; so putting a vegetable or two on the side would make this a complete meal! Even better is if you have leftover ham from a holiday dinner. This would be the perfect recipe to use up what you have!

Image of ham pasta in a foil casserole dish

Can you freeze this Macaroni and Cheese With Ham?

Yes! After you cook the pasta and cheese sauce and mix everything together, pour it all into a 9×13 foil pan. Once it cools, sprinkle some cheese on top and cover with aluminum foil, and lay flat in the freezer. And when you’re ready to bake, thaw it in the fridge overnight.

I froze mine and definitely recommend it. On busy weeknights, you may not have time to spend 20 minutes cooking everything, and then another 20-30 minutes to wait for it to bake. Preparing food ahead of time has saved my sanity!

Looking for more freezer meal ideas? Check out the other recipes in my 25 Days of Freezer Meals series!

Macaroni and Cheese With Ham

Name: Macaroni and Cheese With Ham
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 16-oz box pasta (Macaroni, rotini, or other favorite); 1/2 stick butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 1/2 cups milk; 1 1/2 cups cheese, divided; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 2 cups diced ham

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Use up your leftover holiday ham in this Macaroni and Cheese With Ham! It's the perfect comfort food and can be frozen for later!

Ingredients

1 16-oz box pasta (Macaroni, rotini, or other favorite)
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups diced ham

Instructions

Boil a large pot of water and add pasta. Once fully cooked, drain and add back into the pot.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a smaller pot and add the flour, whisking constantly for one minute. Gradually add the milk, continuing to whisk. Let the milk mixture cook until slightly thickened.
Slowly add 1 1/4 cups of the shredded cheddar, continuing to whisk until the cheese is fully mixed in. Add the salt and pepper and combine, then remove the pot from heat.
Add the ham and cheese sauce to the large pot with pasta and stir to combine. Pour into a greased 9x13 foil pan and smooth down with your spoon. Let cool for 30-60 minutes.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese on top, then cover with aluminum foil and freeze flat in the freezer.
When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until fully heated through.

Jaime Bacon

Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.

Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.

See full bio here