Name: Ham And Noodle Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 6 oz dry fettuccine; 1 ½ cups cooked diced ham; 1 cup condensed cream of chicken soup; ½ cup sour cream; ½ cup chopped bell peppers, variety of colors; ¼ cup milk; 1 cup shredded cheese, like mozzarella; Spring onions, for garnish

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

Jump to Recipe

Ham and noodle casserole is an easy dinner idea that is sure to please your hungry crowd. This casserole is an excellent way to use leftover ham, or just a great option for preparing pasta with a twist.

Ingredients for this one-dish pasta bake are really budget-friendly, and the whole meal comes together in no time!

Filled with delicious ham and chopped bell peppers, and topped with cheese, this casserole is the ultimate family dish you have to try.

Choosing The Right Ham

Ham can be preserved and prepared in many different ways. Like many other cuts of meat, ham can simply be roasted with the bone either in or out. However, ham can also be pre-cured and cooked in a wide variety of ways.

There are different types of ham, and here are some of most popular ones, plus their differences:

City Ham Vs Country Ham

The main difference between these two is how the meat is cured. Ham that is wet cured is referred to as city ham. In addition to being wet-cured, it is usually smoked.

City ham is pre-coked, meaning all you need to do to prepare the ham at home is gradually heat it through in an oven set to a low temperature. Country ham is dry-cured and also smoked.

It is not as common as city ham. This type of ham needs to be soaked at least up to 24 hours to add moisture and remove some of the salt. Afterward, you can boil the ham to heat it and add your favorite glaze, finishing it in a hot oven.

Shank Ends Vs Butt End Ham

As the name states, they come from different parts of the animal. The meat on the shank end tends to be fattier and less tender than the meat you will find on butt end ham. The butt end is lean and is easier to carve since it only has one bone.

The other types of ham are those with bone in or out, As the name states, it is ham with or without the center bone.

Whichever you choose, you cannot go wrong. Still, this recipe is all about using leftovers, so feel free to use any ham you have.

Turkey And Chicken “Ham”

Besides pork ham, there are also turkey and chicken ham. I tried the turkey ham in this casserole and the results are just great, so if you are looking to try something new (and a bit healthier), you can try this out.

Which noodles to use?

Did you know not all noodles are the same, and each variety is used in a particular meal?

Maybe you think elbow pasta is ideal for a meal, but the best choice may actually be bow-tie or spaghetti.

Here is an explanation of the most popular noodle type and which one to use for this dish:

Spaghetti

This is long thin pasta, best for lighter cream or oil-based sauces, but it also works with classic tomato sauce. Still, this type of pasta is not ideal for casserole, as it is too thin.

Tagliatelle

These are long, flat ribbons of pasta that will work great in this dish. I used a thinner type, called fettuccine, but these perfectly hold the ham, bell peppers, and cheese layer.

Penne Pasta

This is the most popular pasta out there. There are two types of this pasta: lisce (or smooth), and rigate (or ridged).

Penne pasta is ideal for loose, creamy sauces, and recipes with chopped ingredients, as well as stuffed or baked dishes, like penne with four cheeses.

Penne is another type of pasta that is suitable for this dish.

Fusilli Pasta

This corkscrew-like pasta is ideal for picking up bits and pieces in chunkier sauce. Fussili pasta pairs best with small, finely chopped ingredients, and this is the third type of pasta you can use.

Rigatoni

Rigatoni should be your pantry staple because it pairs easily with almost all sauces.

Rigatoni is ideal for picking up grated cheese, and thanks to its hollow center, the pasta will perfectly blend with chopped ingredients and rich creamy sauces.

So, for this bake, you can use tagliatelle, fusilli, or rigatoni – whichever you choose, you can’t go wrong!

Making The Casserole (Overview)

We’ll have a full recipe below with step-by-step instructions, but here’s a brief overview so you know what you’re getting yourself into.

The base of this casserole is, well, both pasta and ham. For the ham, you can use leftover ham and cooked pasta. Always cook your pasta al dente (or according to package instructions).

I know there are videos out there that suggest that you can just add unbaked pasta into the casserole dish and desired sauce, but this pasta will not be cooked through. So, always cook your pasta before use in casserole dishes.

Once the pasta is cooked, it is easy to assemble the casserole. Combine pasta with rest of the ingredients, and top with cheese. Bake the pasta for 30 minutes or until the cheese is all bubbly and melted.