This ham and vegetable pasta bake is a creamy, comforting, and easy-to-make dish packed with leftover ham, fresh veggies, and a golden, crunchy topping. Perfect family comfort food!
Who doesn't love a pasta bake!?! This is a perfect one to make after the festive season to use up any leftover ham. Make it ahead and then just pop it into the oven just before serving.
The ham and vegetable sauce is versatile too...instead of making it into a pasta bake, serve it with rice or on top of a baked potato.
Tips
- Ham – this is a perfect recipe for using up leftover festive ham!
- Dairy-free option – use coconut milk or cashew cream instead of semi-skimmed milk.
- Gluten-free – use gluten-free pasta and cornflour instead of flour to thicken the sauce.
- Make it a chicken and ham pasta bake by swapping out half of the ham for pieces of cooked chicken.
- More vegetables – stir in spinach, mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes for added texture and flavour.
- This ham and vegetable pasta bake recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people. Use a large baking dish if doubling the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - assemble the pasta bake, cover, and put it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Bake as instructed, adding an extra 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes - let it cool completely, wrap tightly in cling film and tin foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge then bake as instructed for 20 to 25 minutes (cover with tin foil halfway through, if it starts to brown too much).
Short pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, fusilli and farfalle work best as they hold onto the sauce.
Yes – both are used in this recipe. Defrost frozen vegetables in hot tap water and drain.
Use whole wheat pasta, and add extra veggies for a nutrient boost.
Serve homemade garlic baguette, crusty white dinner rolls or crusty bread.
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HOW TO MAKE THIS HAM AND VEGETABLE PASTA BAKE
Ingredients
- 300g dried pasta (rigatoni, penne, farfalle or fusilli)
- 75g salted butter
- 55g plain flour
- 500ml hot chicken stock (made using a stock cube or pot)
- 200ml milk (I use semi-skimmed)
- 300g ham, cut into cubes or shredded (see Tips)
- 2 carrots (approx. 200g), peeled and diced
- 120g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted in hot tap water and drained
- 120g frozen peas or petit pois, defrosted in hot tap water and drained
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 20g panko breadcrumbs
- 10g freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, then drain. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour the hot stock and then the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Add the ham and vegetables, then increase the heat until the sauce starts to bubble. Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the carrots are tender, but not too soft. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix the ham and vegetable sauce with the cooked pasta, then transfer the pasta and sauce to a medium ovenproof dish. Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the grated parmesan in a small bowl, then scatter the mixture over the pasta. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.
Serving Suggestions
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Ham and Vegetable Pasta Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) dried pasta (rigatoni, penne, farfalle or fusilli)
- 75 g (2.6 oz) salted butter
- 55 g (1.9 oz) plain flour
- 500 ml (2 cups) hot chicken stock (made using a stock cube or pot)
- 200 ml (⅞ cup) milk (I use semi-skimmed)
- 300 g (10.6 oz) ham cut into cubes or shredded (see Notes)
- 2 carrots (approx. 200g) peeled and diced
- 120 g (4.2 oz) frozen sweetcorn defrosted in hot tap water and drained
- 120 g (4.2 oz) frozen peas or petit pois defrosted in hot tap water and drained
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 20 g (0.7 oz) panko breadcrumbs
- 10 g (0.4 oz) freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, then drain. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour the hot stock and then the milk into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Add the ham and vegetables, then increase the heat until the sauce starts to bubble. Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the carrots are tender, but not too soft. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix the ham and vegetable sauce with the cooked pasta, then transfer the pasta and sauce to a medium ovenproof dish. Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the grated parmesan in a small bowl, then scatter the mixture over the pasta. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.
Notes
- Ham – this is a perfect recipe for using up leftover festive ham!
- Dairy-free option – use coconut milk or cashew cream instead of semi-skimmed milk.
- Gluten-free – use gluten-free pasta and cornflour instead of flour to thicken the sauce.
- Make it a chicken and ham pasta bake by swapping out half of the ham for pieces of cooked chicken.
- More vegetables – stir in spinach, mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes for added texture and flavour.
- This ham and vegetable pasta bake recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people. Use a large baking dish if doubling the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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