Macaroni with ham and cheese is a staple of family meals. In the oven-baked version, they become even more indulgent and comforting! Easy, economical and quick to prepare, this recipe is perfect for a simple dinner that pleases the whole family without any hassle.
The ultra-nostalgic dish that wins everyone over for dinner
To finally put an end to the eternal question “what are we eating tonight?”, adopt pasta bakes! It’s THE dish perfect for a simple yet indulgent family dinner, quick to prepare and especially very economical. It can be declined to infinity; pasta bake does not require hours in the kitchen and you will delight both kids and adults with this generous and super easy-to-make dish.
Today, we’re aiming for a nostalgic and tasty recipe with coquillettes, ham and lots of cheese. Melty and crispy, this gratin will melt everyone’s heart around the table! To make it more generous, go for grated Comté rather than Emmental and choose a nice ham cut. Be careful not to overcook the coquillettes, they should be just al dente as they will bake again in the oven. Add a pinch of chopped chives on your plate for a touch of freshness and crunch in every bite! It’s really our favorite lazy-day dish.
Ingredients for 4 servings
– 500 g of coquillettes (small macaroni)
– 200 g of ham
– 200 ml crème fraîche
– 200 g grated cheese
– Salt, pepper
Easy oven-baked macaroni with ham and cheese recipe
1. Cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and pour into a gratin dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add the crème fraîche, the diced ham, and half of the grated cheese. Stir well, then sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top.
3. Bake for 25 minutes at 180°C to melt and nicely gratinate the cheese. Serve piping hot!
The macaroni gratin with ham and cheese, an economical and family-friendly dish
No need to break the bank to satisfy the taste buds of the whole family. Proof of that with this inexpensive yet generously portioned recipe! We love it with coquillettes, but you can choose another type of pasta if you wish, nothing mandatory. We adore coquillettes for their ultra-nostalgic vibe, to be enjoyed with a large spoon to relive our childhood memories.
For the ham, you can use slices cut into small dice or directly diced ham. If you want to mix things up a bit, grill a few bacon bits and then mix them with the pasta, the cream and the cheese before baking the whole thing in the oven. It’s absolutely delicious!
