Ham and Noodle Casserole

AUTHOR:Maike Corbett PUBLISHED: MODIFIED:
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Our family loves this quick and easy, hearty Ham and Noodle Casserole (German: Nudelauflauf mit Schincken).

Creamy homemade sauce, chunks of savory ham, and velvety egg noodles unite under a layer of melt-in-your-mouth Swiss cheese.

Ham And Noodle Casserole recipe by Cheerful Cook.
Photo Credit: Cheerful Cook

This egg noodle casserole recipe is based on a classic German casserole. When I was growing up in Germany, ‘Nudelauflauf’ (‘Noodle-Auf-lauf’) was always part of my family’s meal plan.

And it’s still appealing and popular nowadays when I cook it for my family in the US. As with most recipes, I make minor adjustments to make sure you can find the ingredients in a typical American supermarket.

Ham And Noodle Casserole Recipe Highlights

  • Foolproof, easy dinner recipe takes just a few minutes to put together.
  • Except for the egg noodles and ham steak, chances are that you will have every ingredient already in your fridge and pantry.
  • This recipe is much loved by grownups and kids.
  • Magic happens when you to combine ham, eggs, cream, and cheese.

Ingredient Notes

Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.

Ingredients needed to make German Ham and Noodle Casserole (Nudelauflauf).

PASTA – If you can find egg noodles, I recommend using them. If you can’t choose another short pasta, such as fusilli or rotini.

HAM – We use ‘Schinken’ in Germany for this casserole recipe. Schinken is a type of German ham. In the US, I use ham steak.

CREAM – For this recipe, we use a 2:1 combination of heavy cream and milk. This allows the sauce to be creamy without being overwhelmingly rich.

EGGS – Adds creaminess and extra protein.

NUTMEG – If you have tried some of my other recipes, such as Spätzle or Potato Dumplings, you already know that nutmeg is one of Germany’s favorite spices.

SWISS CHEESE – You can use any Swiss cheese you like. In Germany, my family uses a lot of Emmenthal cheese for this kind of dish. But that can be pricy. Regular Swiss cheese, Gruyere, or Fontina will all work.

TIP. If possible, stay away from shredded cheeses. They are full of preservatives and don’t melt as well. But if that’s all you have, go ahead. Sometimes we all have to do what we have to do to get dinner on the table.

How To Make Ham and Noodle Casserole

Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Process Step: Making the cheese sauce.
Process Step: Combine cooked noodles and ham.
Process Step: Pour cheese sauce over ham and noodles.
Process Step: Bake casserole.
  1. Cook egg noodles according to the package instructions.
  2. Whisk eggs, heavy cream, and milk until creamy. Season with nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
  3. Transfer the cooked pasta into a lightly greased casserole dish and the diced ham. Pour egg and cream sauce over the egg noodles and top with cheese.
  4. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400º Fahrenheit.
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Leftovers and Storage

STORE – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. The casserole will last for 3-4 days.

REHEAT IN THE OVEN – Preheat the oven to 200º Fahrenheit. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and gently heat until warm – about 10 minutes.

REHEAT IN THE MICROWAVE – If you’re using the microwave to reheat the ham and noodle casserole, do it one portion at a time. Place a cover on the dish and choose the ‘casserole’ preset or a medium heat setting.

A spoonful of Ham and Noodle Casserole.

Recipe Success Tips

This is a great recipe to offer as a breakfast casserole for brunch.

Avoid pre-shredded cheese whenever possible. It’s typically full of fillers and preservatives to keep the cheese fresh, and these don’t tend to melt very well (plus there are no nutritional benefits). And if you break it down, a cheese log will typically be less expensive than any pre-shredded cheese.

You can also make this recipe with Cheddar cheese or even Mozzarella cheese. There are plenty of options to be creative.

This is also a great option to use up any leftover ham. It is perfect for a filling post-Thanksgiving brunch.

More Easy and Delicious Recipes

LAZY LASAGNA – My easiest lasagna recipe with just 4 ingredients.

SHRIMP CARBONARA – Quick and tender pasta with shrimp.

CHICKEN PARMESAN – Learn how easy it is to make this restaurant favorite at home.

LASAGNA ROLLS – A fun and somewhat elegant twist on classic lasagna.

KRAUTFLECKERL – A delicious cabbage noodle dish made with cabbage, ham, bacon, and parmesan cheese. Think of it as the German version of Haluski!

Freshly baked Ham and Noodle Casserole in a baking dish.
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A spoonful of Ham and Noodle Casserole.

Ham and Noodle Casserole

Author: Maike Corbett
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serving Size 8
Comfort food at its finest, this casserole will make you feel like your childhood self again. It's so simple and quick to prepare!
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Ingredients

Sauce

Topping

Instructions

PREP

  • Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Cook egg noodles according to the package instructions.

Putting the Casserole together

  • Combine eggs, milk, heavy cream, nutmeg, and salt and whisk until well combined.
  • Transfer cooked egg noodles into the casserole dish and top with diced ham. Pour the egg and cream sauce over the ham and noodles and add a layer of Swiss cheese.
  • Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 645
Carbs: 44g
Fat: 38g
Protein: 31g

Nutritional Disclaimer

Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.

Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.

5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I lived in Germany and I began making it here. The way my stepmother made it was with pancetta and German egg noodles. But yes, it is an incredibly easy and delicious meal. I do have a question. I use heavy cream and butter only because we have egg allergies in our household. However, it still kind of of dries out.. or more like over cooks no matter what I do because it is missing the binding ingredient I guess. So would you recommend more heavy cream? Or any other ideas that can help?

    Reply

    1. I hope you enjoyed your time in Germany!
      What a great question. And there is no easy answer. but if you’re up for a little experimentation, I can offer some suggestions. I suggest you begin experimentation by using bread crumbs as a substitute. The bread crumbs can act as a binder, too.
      Once the cooked noodles are in the casserole dish, sprinkle them with 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, pour the cream mixture over the noodles, add ham (pancetta is a great idea, too!), and topp with the cheese. I could imagine that it might add some interesting texture. Another option that might work is to blend some quick-cooking oats into crumbs and use those instead of the bread crumbs. Please me know how it worked out for you. If not, I’ll put my thinking cap back on. 🙂

      Reply