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    You are here: Crunchy Creamy Sweet / Dinner / Leftover Ham Casserole

    Leftover Ham Casserole

    Published: Dec 31, 2019 · Modified: Mar 5, 2020 by Anna 36 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Leftover Ham Casserole with noodles, ham, corn, creamy garlic sauce and crunchy panko topping, no cream of soup. Easy comfort food dinner for busy days!

    If you have leftover holiday ham, this easy dish is the perfect way to use it. We also love the Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup.

    Ham Casserole in a baking dish.

    This is my go-to easy dinner to make with leftover ham. My whole family enjoys it! It's an easy and delicious comfort food meal you can make with ham or chicken. Serve it with a simple salad or roasted veggies. The creamy cheesy garlic sauce is made from scratch in just 10 minutes. No cream of soup or condensed soup needed! The crunchy topping made with melted butter and panko breadcrumbs is the perfect finishing touch for this creamy pasta dish.

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups chopped ham
    • wide egg noodles
    • butter
    • garlic
    • half and half or whole milk
    • cornstarch
    • Italian seasoning
    • salt and pepper
    • shredded cheddar cheese
    • shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 1 can whole kernel corn
    • panko breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers

    How to make Ham Casserole?

    Step 1: Make the sauce

    • Saute garlic in melted butter.
    • Add seasoning and saute for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
    • Add cornstarch mixed with half and half. Stir well.
    • Simmer until the sauce thickens.
    • Add cheese and stir until melted.

    Step 1 of making ham casserole.

    Step 2: Noodles

    • Cook noodles in salted water. Drain and rinse with cold water.
    • Combine ham, corn and noodles with sauce.

    Step 2 of making ham casserole.

    Step 3: Bake

    • Spread the noodle mixture in a casserole dish.
    • Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the top.

    Step 3 of making ham casserole.

    What to serve with it?

    I like to serve it with a simple salad, like my Perfect Caesar Salad, Sauteed Spinach or Easy Broccoli Salad. My kids also love it with roasted carrots or broccoli.

    Can I make this dish ahead of time?

    Yes! You can make the dish and store it in the fridge overnight and bake the next day. You can make the sauce a day ahead and assemble the dish before baking.

    Can I freeze this dish?

    Yes, this ham casserole can be easily frozen. Assemble the dish and do not add the panko topping. Cool it completely and wrap it with plastic wrap. Place in a freezer-safe dish and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before baking.

    Ham Casserole with spinach salad on a plate.

    Expert tips

    • use bite-size pasta: you can use wide egg noodles, penne, bow tie or macaroni.
    • make the sauce ahead of time to save on prep OR use store-bought Alfredo sauce (roasted garlic kind, if possible)
    • protein: you can use any cooked meat you like: ham, shredded or cubed chicken, bacon OR skip it and add white beans

    Ham Casserole with panko topping in a blue baking dish.

    More easy casseroles:

    • Beef Noodle Casserole
    • Tater Tot Casserole
    • Instant Pot Chili Mac
    • Sweet Corn Casserole
    • Turkey Tetrazzini

    If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

    Leftover Ham Casserole in a baking dish.

    Leftover Ham Casserole

    Author: Anna
    Leftover Ham Casserole with noodles, ham, corn, creamy garlic sauce and crunchy panko topping. Easy comfort food dinner for busy days!
    4.86 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 771 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    for the sauce:

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 3/4 cup half and half
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
    • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

    for the casserole:

    • 4 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
    • 15 oz can whole kernel corn drained and rinsed
    • 2 cups chopped leftover ham

    for the topping:

    • 2 tablespoons butter melted
    • 1/4 cup panko breading or crushed Ritz crackers

    Instructions
     

    • Cook noodles according to instructions on the packaging. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    • In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
    • Add garlic and stir. Saute for 3 minutes, or until very fragrant.
    • Add seasoning and stir in. Saute for 1 minute.
    • Mix cornstarch with half and half. Slowly, pour it over garlic, stirring constantly.
    • Simmer until the sauce thickens. Add cheese and stir until melted. Set aside.
    • Butter a 9"x7" casserole dish.
    • Combine noodles, ham, corn and the sauce and spread the mixture in a prepared baking dish.
    • Combine melted butter and Panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the noodle casserole.
    • Bake casserole in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until it bubbles on the edges and the topping is toasty and golden.
    • Remove from oven and cool before serving.

    Notes

    1. Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
    2. You can use chopped cooked chicken in place of ham. 
    3. Make it vegetarian and add 2 cups of cooked white beans.
    4. Use Ritz crackers instead of panko breading, or use more cheese and skip the crunchy topping.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 771kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 1490mg | Potassium: 586mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 971IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kathleen Ruppert says

      January 04, 2023 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      Great meal for my picky eater and my hardy eater!!

      Reply
    2. Alison Pack says

      January 04, 2023 at 12:37 am

      3 stars
      It was nice to be able to put the last bits of ham to good use, but I'm sorry to say that we found this dish to lack a flavor zing.

      Reply
      • Anna says

        January 04, 2023 at 3:25 pm

        Thank you for giving my recipe a try, Alison!

        Reply
    3. Bob says

      December 27, 2022 at 8:01 pm

      4 stars
      I added peas and carrots but forgot to add Parmesan cheese to the sauce. A little seasoned salt would have helped too.

      Reply
    4. Elise says

      September 11, 2022 at 9:05 pm

      5 stars
      Hello, this was absolutely delicious! I have a quick question though…
      Is the 1/2 cup of Parmesan shredded or is it the kind in the green container?

      Reply
    5. Am says

      August 21, 2022 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      Made as written with exception of half and half frozen peas and carrots and a tsp of Better Than Boullion chicken stock to sauce mix. We loved the recipe.

      Reply
    6. Beth says

      April 26, 2022 at 11:52 pm

      5 stars
      This was an awesome base for a ham and corn recipe! I had most of the ingredients on hand. Leftover ham and corn on the cob. Because I have a medical condition that causes me fatigue, I do a lot of dishes "hamburger helper" style to cut down on extra pots. So I threw everything into a large skillet and used dry milk and water bc we didn't have fresh on hand. Threw in maybe 2 handfuls of the dry milk and 1-2 cups water and then 1/2 bag of the noodles, ham and 3 ears of corn that I had made the night before and cut off the cob. I didn't even need corn starch... the corn and pasta thickened it all up. Last of all, threw panko breadcrumbs in the butter on top and put on low broiler for about 10 min. They didn't get brown but still crunchy and my husband and I thought it was awesome, thanks! I hope that this helps others who have medical conditions or are in a time crunch to think out of the box to make recipes even easier!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        April 26, 2022 at 11:59 pm

        5 stars
        not sure why 3 stars are showing, meant to give it 5

        Reply
      • Anna says

        May 10, 2022 at 9:46 pm

        Thank you, Beth! I am so glad the casserole was a hit! Adding fresh corn is perfect. Thank you for the comment!

        Reply
    7. Beth says

      December 02, 2021 at 9:00 pm

      We had this tonite. Just as the recipe was written and it was a hit. Even with my picky great nieces. Everyone had seconds. This will be a recipe we use often. So glad I found this recipe.

      Reply
    8. Nina says

      November 09, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for posting this,,
      We both really liked it and will make it again.
      I used 3 cups of pasta instead of 4 so it would be creamier, I used cream corn instead of whole kernel for the extra creaminess as well, I mixed parts half & half and regular milk , I also used French fried onions on top instead of crumbs.

      Reply
    9. Michael says

      November 08, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing. Adjusted it to what we had in the house and it was gone in no time! Great recipe, thank you.

      Reply
    10. Thomas Manley says

      August 29, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      I found this recipe in time when I decided to cook a ham shank for dinner with lots of leftovers. It appeared that I had some room to add carrots and celery to it and I have to admit, you have a winner of a recipe just as it is. The carrots and celery only were availble since I had some that needed to go somewhere soon. 🙂 Since the 9 lb. ham was for only two of us, you can see we are going to eat for some time from this. Let's see...Ham and bean soup...covered. then we have your recipe as well. Thank you so much for posting it!

      Reply
      • Anna says

        September 02, 2021 at 9:18 pm

        That's wonderful! It's my go-to when I have ham leftovers. Thank you, Thomas!

        Reply
    11. Amy says

      April 12, 2021 at 8:07 pm

      5 stars
      This was a big hit with my family, thanks! I adjusted a bit... cooked onion, celery, and garlic, added seasonings and flour and cooked the flour a few minutes then added whole milk. Then proceeded as written. This is a great recipe to use leftover ham and other bits of veggies. Thanks!

      Reply
    12. Belinda says

      January 19, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      Made this using leftover ham after Christmas, exactly how the recipe is written. My family LOVED it so much that I bought some ham steaks to dice up and am making it again! Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Anna says

        February 05, 2021 at 10:52 pm

        Thank you so much, Belinda!

        Reply
    13. Sharon says

      January 10, 2021 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great recipe. Easy to follow, and easy to make with ingredients I had on hand. My husband and I enjoyed it with a side dish of squash and zucchini. The sauce is very nice. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    14. William says

      December 30, 2020 at 10:56 am

      Went over wonderfully with both young and old diners.
      I used a whole 12oz bag of extra wide noodles and thus used a with an added 1/4 cup of ham. Substituted 1 cup whole cream and 1/2 cup skim (its what I had) and used 4 Tbl of butter and a whole box of fried onions chopped up for the topping. (Again, its what I had).
      Grated high quality sharp cheddar and store bought shredded parmesan.

      This is great, filling the usage void between that big holiday ham dinner and making ham/bean soup with the remainders.

      Reply
      • William says

        December 30, 2020 at 10:57 am

        Lost the 9x12 comment. sorry.

        Reply
    15. Marilyn LaCasse says

      December 29, 2020 at 9:49 pm

      with lid or without?

      Reply
    16. Andrea says

      December 26, 2020 at 8:25 pm

      This casserole has wonderful flavor. I would recommend using 3 cups instead of 4. It is a little to dry with the 4 cups.

      Reply
      • Anna says

        January 01, 2021 at 5:24 pm

        Thank you, Andrea!

        Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 19, 2022 at 5:33 pm

        5 stars
        I would definitely agree! I did 4 cups of noodles. It was absolutely amazing but it would of been absolutely over the top with three to three and a half cups of noodles.

        Reply
    17. james melody says

      December 26, 2020 at 7:34 pm

      I don't see baking directions. But it sounds good.

      Reply
    18. Linda says

      December 13, 2020 at 6:21 pm

      Delish! Shared it with a neighbor and now she is trying the casserole.

      Reply
    19. Sara Welch says

      January 06, 2020 at 6:29 pm

      5 stars
      All out of leftover ham, but this looks too good to pass up! Adding this to my dinner line up for the week!

      Reply
    20. Stephanie says

      January 06, 2020 at 9:40 am

      5 stars
      This was such a great way to use the leftovers and it turned out perfectly! The bread crumbs on top were perfection!

      Reply
    21. Nora says

      January 06, 2020 at 1:42 am

      5 stars
      This is such a delicious recipe, thank you for sharing! And thanks for the note about using small pasta, that was very helpful,

      Reply
    22. stephanie says

      December 31, 2019 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      This was the perfect recipe for my leftover ham....thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Anna says

        January 01, 2020 at 3:57 pm

        Thank you, Stephanie!

        Reply
    23. stephanie says

      December 31, 2019 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      This was the perfect recipe for my leftover ham.

      Reply
    24. Krissy Allori says

      December 31, 2019 at 4:42 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This recipe is both easy and tastes great. My family was getting tired of ham until I made this for them.

      Reply
      • Anna says

        January 01, 2020 at 3:58 pm

        That's wonderful, Krissy! Thank you!

        Reply
    25. Beth says

      December 31, 2019 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      We had half a ham left from the holidays and was looking for some way to use the leftovers! This was perfect and tasted so good!

      Reply
      • Anna says

        January 01, 2020 at 3:58 pm

        Thank you, Beth!

        Reply

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