Name: Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 9 oz pasta; 1 small red bell pepper (or ½ large one); 1 small yellow or green bell pepper (or ½ large one); 1 small carrot; 3 green onions; 10 cherry tomatoes; ½ cup canned corn (drained); ½ cup frozen peas; 3.5 oz cooked ham (or bacon cubes); 2 eggs; 1 cup milk; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 2 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 1 cup grated cheese (Note); 1 pinch nutmeg (freshly grated ); ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (more or less to taste); ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Recipe ingredients

Pasta: Any kind. I often use macaroni, but you can also use penne, fusilli, etc. If you happen to have several open packages of pasta in your pantry (like I often do), you can mix those pasta shapes as well, as long as the cooking time fits all the different kinds.

Vegetables: I always use the peppers and the garlic. Otherwise, the dish changes according to what I have in the fridge.

Veggie alternatives: Add a chopped carrot or a handful of broccoli or cauliflower florets, some green onions or leeks, and maybe some sliced mushrooms or zucchini. Pretty much any kind of vegetable goes. Check your fridge and cook accordingly.

Ham: I use whatever I happen to have, sometimes cooked ham and sometimes lean cubed bacon. You can make the pasta bake vegetarian by leaving out the ham or bacon. Try the Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake next.

Eggs and milk for the sauce.

Cheese: I use Gouda cheese most of the time, but Cheddar is just as good. If I have Parmesan, I use a mixture of Gouda and Parmesan.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make ham and cheese pasta bake?

Step #1: Cook and drain the noodles and prepare the vegetables.

Step #2: Place them in a baking dish and add ham or bacon.

Step #3: Whisk the eggs, milk, grated garlic, and spices. Don't be thrifty with the salt; the pasta bake needs it, and both the noodles and the eggs need quite a bit of salt. Pour over the noodles and the veggies and mix. Mix half of the cheese as well.

Step #4: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Step #5: Bake the ham and cheese pasta bake until the cheese is golden.

Make in advance and store

Make-ahead: Cook and drain the pasta, mix it with 1 tablespoon olive oil, just to make sure nothing sticks together. Mix with vegetables and ham. You can keep this mixture, covered, in the fridge for about 1 day. Only add the egg mixture and cheese just before baking.

Reheat leftovers in the preheated oven at about 350°F/ 180°C for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is piping hot.

Freeze: Let cool completely, wrap very well with foil, and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven. If you freeze the whole dish, it might take about 30-40 minutes at 400°F/ 200°C to reheat it. You will just have to check regularly, to see if it is properly heated through.

What to serve with it?

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