Description
A rich and comforting baked macaroni dish made with tender elbow pasta, creamy Gruyere cheese sauce, and savory diced ham, finished until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces dry elbow macaroni
- 1 cup diced ham
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni until just al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to form a smooth roux.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the shredded Gruyere cheese, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked macaroni and diced ham. Pour the cheese sauce over the mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Transfer to a baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top.
- Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Add the cheese off the heat to prevent a grainy texture.
- Do not overcook the pasta before baking to keep it tender.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 85mg