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On the coldest evenings out here on the prairie, when the wind rattles the windows and it gets dark before supper, my busy neighbor June swears by this simple little bake. She’s a school bus driver and a grandma, always running, and this 4-ingredient ham and cheese pasta is her answer to those nights when everyone’s hungry and no one has time for fuss. It reminds me of the creamy casseroles I grew up with in the Midwest—nothing fancy, just tender pasta, smoky ham, and nutty Swiss cheese tucked into a rich, bubbling cream sauce.
It’s the kind of pure comfort food that warms you clear through, and it goes straight from the oven to the table in the same glass dish, just like we’ve done for generations.
This casserole is plenty hearty on its own, but I like to set it beside a simple green salad or a bowl of steamed broccoli to freshen things up. A pan of buttered peas or some roasted carrots also fit right in with that classic Midwestern table. If you’re feeding a crowd, add some warm dinner rolls or thick slices of crusty bread to mop up the creamy sauce. For drinks, a glass of cold milk, apple cider, or a light white wine all play nicely with the salty ham and mellow Swiss cheese.
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Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Ham and Cheese Pasta
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
12 ounces dry penne pasta
2 cups diced cooked ham (about 10–12 ounces)
3 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
3 cups heavy cream
Salt and black pepper, to taste (optional, does not count toward 4 ingredients)
Butter or nonstick spray for greasing the dish (optional, does not count toward 4 ingredients)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch glass casserole dish with butter or nonstick spray so the pasta doesn’t stick.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven, so you want it with a little bite.
While the pasta cooks, dice the cooked ham into small cubes if it isn’t already, and shred the Swiss cheese if you bought it in a block. Set aside 1 cup of the shredded Swiss for the top.
Drain the pasta well and return it to the warm pot. Pour in the heavy cream and add the diced ham and the remaining 2 cups of shredded Swiss cheese. Stir until everything is evenly coated and the cheese starts to melt into the cream, forming a rich sauce.
Taste and season lightly with salt and black pepper if you like, remembering the ham and Swiss are already salty.
Pour the creamy ham and pasta mixture into the prepared glass casserole dish, spreading it out into an even layer so the cubes of ham and pasta are well distributed.
Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese evenly over the top. This will give you that golden, bubbly crust you’re after.
Place the casserole on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the cream is bubbling around the edges and the top is melted, lightly browned, and a bit crusty in spots.
If you’d like a deeper golden top, move the dish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. You want the Swiss just blistered and bubbly.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for about 5–10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, making it easier to scoop. Serve warm, straight from the glass dish, with big spoonfuls of pasta, ham cubes, and that rich, creamy Swiss cheese sauce in every serving.
Variations & Tips
If you grew up on casseroles like I did, you’ll find this one easy to make your own while still keeping that simple spirit. For a lighter touch, you can swap half of the heavy cream for whole milk; the sauce will be a bit looser but still cozy. If you don’t have Swiss on hand, try a mix of Swiss and mozzarella, or use Gruyère for a slightly richer, nuttier flavor—just keep the total cheese amount the same so it still bakes up bubbly.
Any short, sturdy pasta such as rotini, rigatoni, or ziti can stand in for penne. To stretch it for more mouths, stir in an extra cup of cooked pasta and a splash more cream before baking. For a little color, scatter a handful of frozen peas over the top before it goes into the oven, or stir in some thawed peas with the ham and pasta; around here, that’s how many of us slip a vegetable into supper without much fuss.
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