by Holly
This Broccoli Cheese Casserole is a family favorite! Pasta, broccoli and tender ham is tossed in a quick and easy from scratch cheese sauce. This casserole is then topped with breadcrumbs and baked until bubbly and golden. The kids love this dish just as much as I do.
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As we all know, life can be very busy! With the kids activities, managing a house and working, there is never a wrong time for a great casserole! This one comes together in just a few steps and can be prepped in the morning before you head out the door. When you get home after a long day, all that’s left to do is pop dinner into the oven! Plus it’s full of cheesy goodness with some veggies snuck in there! Yum right?!
Broccoli and cheese is as natural a pairing as PB & J… they just should ALWAYS go together. I’ve paired them in a broccoli cheese soup or with rice and about a million other ways too. And of course I am a huge fan of macaroni and cheese in any way, shape or form.
In this easy broccoli cheese casserole recipe I’ve added ham and fresh broccoli to turn a traditional mac & cheese into a complete meal! This recipe calls for a quick from scratch sauce which is so worth the effort, it takes only about 5 minutes!
I top this recipe with breadcrumbs but you can use anything from Ritz crackers to just plain cheese as a topping. Of course leftover ham works perfectly in this dish but if you don’t have ham on hand, cooked chicken works well in this recipe too. It’s fairly versatile, as long as you’re using 2 cups of cooked meat (ham/chicken etc) and 3 cups of veggies, it’s going to be great! 
It is comforting, filling and completely delicious! The easy clean up of this one dish meal makes it a recipe that is near and dear to my heart! Being able to create a meal this yummy and clean it up in a matter of moments makes it nothing short of an ideal recipe!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole with Ham
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 cup light cream
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 cups sharp cheddar
- 1 cup gruyere cheese
- ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups cubed cooked ham
Topping
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoons melted butter
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Add broccoli in the last 2 minutes to cook it tender crisp. Drain and run under cold water.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour and let cook 2 minutes while stirring. Slowly whisk in cream, milk,and seasonings. Cook over medium heat while stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and stir cheeses until melted.
- Toss cheese sauce, pasta, broccoli, and ham together. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over macaroni.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or just until hot. Do not over cook.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
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Husband loved. Very tasty. Did not use cream. Used whole milk instead of cream and milk. Still very rich. A versatile recipe.
Hi there! Do you think I could substitue the cream with full fat coconut milk? Thanks!
I’ve not tried this with coconut milk. I think it would work, but can’t say for sure how it would change the casserole. Let us know if you try it Amanda!
Absolutely fabulous! A recipe that is so versatile! I may add some green chili next time! Thank you, I have some very happy men in my house tonight!
Everyone loved this! Followed exactly except I couldn’t find anything but gruyere and melange cheese which worked perfectly. I had leftover honey baked ham and it was perfect!
Love to cook, always looking for ideas to feed 7!
Could you make ahead of time and freeze to bake at a later date? Thanks in advance!
Hi Kate, this dish is definitely freezer friendly! I would fully thaw in the fridge and then bake as directed. Let us know how it turns out for you!
I made the same dish here, came out pretty great! I used 50% ham and 50% hickory smoked ribs (diced and mixed). I also used only cheddar & parm for cheese. The smoked ribs turned out better than the ham! They were tender and kind of BACON tasting – the smokey/bacon flavor went great with everything else.
Mmmmm, that sounds amazing Preston! Thanks for sharing.
Just made this – It is CRAZY good. Very rich and creamy ! I used smoked gouda and swiss cheeses instead of gruyere and cheddar. I will definitely be making this again !
Tasty recipe! Two spices in the ingredients are missing from the instructions. The only thing I did differently was steam the broccoli separately rather than adding it to pasta water as I was worried I wouldn’t get the timing right. Hits the spot in a cold wintry night!
Hi Lori, those spices are added in step 3 as well :) So glad you loved this recipe!
This was soooooo dang delicious!!!!! It took me closer to an hour and half total to make it, but if you have the time its definitely worth it. I only had about 8-10 oz oz pasta so I added an extra cup of broccoli
Thank you! Even the baby liked it :)
Yay! Such a success, so happy you all loved it Bethany!
These recipes look yummy can’t wait to try them all
So many recipes, so little time! Have fun cooking Cindy.
Hi Holly
Can I freeze mac and cheese
Hi Mariae,
You can freeze mac and cheese. I hope you love the casserole!
So this says 12oz of pasta what if I make it with 16oz the standard size do the other ingredients stay the same or do I have to add a little more
You’d want to add more so you have enough sauce.
Honestly, I am at a loss of what to try first, this and the other cheese casseroles look outstanding, I will come back to this one for a review shortly. Thank you for the great recipes.
Thank you so much Lee! :) I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
I made this tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it Sarita!
Has anyone made this rice instead of noodles?
I wondered the same thing.
Ohhh delish!!! I swapped elbow for bowtie and used about 1/4 of sour cream instead of ‘cream’ and used Lactose free sourcream, cheeses, butter! It is to die for!!! I have an almost 2 year old who likes to say ‘no’ haha I think this will be a HIT with her… It is so yummy. Thank you.
I’m so glad you loved it!
So good! My husband especially loved it.
I am so glad that this recipe was a hit with your family Debbie!
What exactly is light cream?
Light cream is a little heavier than half in half, but it is often served in coffee. I hope this helps.
Light cream is halfway between full-fat milk and heavy whipping cream.