Our family loves this quick and easy, hearty Ham and Noodle Casserole. Tender pasta, topped with a simple egg and cream sauce and finished with Swiss cheese.
This casserole recipe is great when you are looking for a quick, filling, and effortless comfort food dinner idea. There is just something special anytime you combine ham and cheese in a recipe.
Based on classic German ‘Nudelauflauf’ (‘Noodle-Au-f-lau-f’) this casserole was a standard on my family’s meal rotation when I was growing up in Germany. And it’s not lost any of its appeal and popularity these days when I cook it for my own family.
What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
- 16 ounces EGG NOODLES, cooked according the package instructions
- 14 ounces HAM di diced
- 1½ cups HEAVY CREAMY
- ½ cup MILK, we use whole milk, but part-skim would work as well
- 4 large EGGS
- 1 teaspoon SALT
- 8 ounces SWISS CHEESE, sliced or shredded
How To Make This Recipe
This fool proof easy dinner recipe takes just a few minutes to put together.
PREP
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the casserole dish lightly with a few spritzers of cooking spray
- Begin by cooking the noodles according to package instructions. Rinse and drain.
- Dice the ham and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk eggs, whipped cream, and milk until creamy. Season with salt. Set aside
*You can also add a 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. - Transfer cooked egg noodles into a casserole dish. Top with diced ham.
- Pour whisked egg and cream sauce over the egg noodles and ham.
- Top with sliced (or shredded) Swiss cheese. And bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cover casserole baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Recipe Tips and Trick
This is a great recipe to offer as a breakfast casserole for brunch.
- Mix up your cheeses. While we’ve typically made this with some type of Swiss cheese. Emmentaler was my Oma’s favorite cheese to use in casseroles. Today I tend to mix it up and use classic Swiss or Gruyere if I can find it on sale.
- 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 log of cheese will typically be less expensive than any pre-shredded cheese.
- You can also make this recipe with Cheddar cheese or even Mozzarella cheese. Or try a combination of Swiss and Cheddar, Mozzarella and Swiss. There are plenty of options to be creative.
- If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will typically last for about 3-4 days. Simply reheat the casserole in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes or reheat it in the microwave choosing the ‘casserole reheat’ option.
- This is also a great option to use up any leftover ham. And perfect for a filling post-Thanksgiving brunch.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
Ham and Noodle Casserole
A hearty, creamy, and cheesy casserole. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
SERVINGS: 8
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Ingredients
- Cooking Spray
- 16 ounces egg noodles cooked
- 14 ounces ham diced
Sauce
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- 4 large eggs whisked
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cheese Topping
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese sliced
Instructions
PREP
- Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
- Cook egg noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse and drain. Lightly pre-grease the casserole baking dish with a couple of spritzers of cooking spray.
Putting the Casserole together
- Slice Swiss cheese into thin slices and dice ham. Whisk the eggs, milk, and heavy cream, and salt. Option: Add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg for if desired.
- Add egg noodles to the casserole dish. Top with diced ham and pour whisked egg and cream sauce. Add a layer of Swiss cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400° Fahreheit. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 260mg | Sodium: 1005mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1086IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 2mg
Prmom77
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?
Maike
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. 🙂