Ham and Cheese Casserole (Protein)

hamcheesecasseroleprotein This ham casserole recipe combines pasta and ham in an easy, from-scratch cheese sauce. It’s topped with buttery breadcrumbs and packed with 46g of protein.

Topping:
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Casserole:
1 lb medium shells or rotini or penne
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
½ cup (2 scoops) vanilla whey protein powder (39 g)
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, freshly grated
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 cups cooked ham, diced

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Butter a 9x13" casserole dish and set aside.

Make the Topping:
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, butter and parsley, set aside.

Cook the pasta shells al dente according to pkg directions. Drain well.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions until pasta is al dente. Before draining the pasta after cooking, set aside one cup of the pasta water. Then drain pasta and set it aside (you’ll need the pot for later).

In the same pot you used to cook the pasta, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add in the chopped onions and cook until they become soft and translucent (it should take about 2 minutes).

Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour over the onions and stir until a thick paste forms. Add the onion powder, dried thyme, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and reserved pasta water to the pot. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes smooth (this could take a few minutes). You may find this easiest if using a whisk.

Gradually add in the milk, half-and-half, whisking until smooth after each addition. Once all of the milk/cream is added, whisk while bringing to a boil over medium heat. Allow to boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and add protein powder, 2½ cups cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses. Whisk until smooth.

Toss the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta and ham. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping over the casserole and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese.

Bake for 15-25 minutes or until heated through and the topping is golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Cook's Notes:

If you don’t have Gruyère, substitute Swiss cheese or use extra cheddar cheese.
Use leftover ham or ham steak.
How to store and reheat leftovers? Leftovers are delicious. Store them in an air-tight container in your fridge for up to four days. When reheating, give the pasta some life again by adding a dash of milk or cream before reheating in a preheated 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) oven for 10 minutes.
Do not overbake the casserole, it can dry out quickly.