Recipe Background
Comfort food has reached new heights! Ham & Corn Pasta Bake is filled with the summery sweetness of corn paired with the salty savoriness of ham, all mixed with your favorite pasta. With a creamy, rich, cheesy sauce, Ham & Corn Pasta Bake is perfect for summertime sunset suppers and winter nights by the fire. It’s a comfort food for all seasons!
Comfort food has reached new heights! Ham & Corn Pasta Bake is filled with the summery sweetness of corn paired with the salty savoriness of ham, all mixed with your favorite pasta. With a creamy, rich, cheesy sauce, Ham & Corn Pasta Bake is perfect for summertime sunset suppers and winter nights by the fire. It’s a comfort food for all seasons!
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 8 ounces long pasta of your choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion finely diced
- 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup thick-cut ham cooked, about 1/8-inch thick, and cut into 1x1/2-inch strips
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- ground nutmeg to taste
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3 thin slices provolone cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Bring a large sized pot of water to a boil over a high heat.
- Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions.
- Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Drain and rinse the pasta with faucet water until it is cool.
- In a medium skillet over a medium-low heat, heat up 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
- Add in the onions and sauté until the onions are softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the frozen corn and the ham until it is all warmed through, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat.
- Add in the flour and mix for 2 minutes using a whisk.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until it is completely mixed and smooth with no lumps.
- Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, making sure to whisk occasionally. This keeps it from sticking to the bottom.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Mix in the mozzarella with the whisk, stirring it until it is fully incorporated.
- Add the nutmeg.
- Seasoning with salt and pepper, stir in the cooked ham mixture. If the mixture is too thick, you can thin it out with the pasta water you pulled out earlier.
- Add the pasta, and mix to ensure it is fully incorporated.
- Move the pasta into a baking dish.
- Top the pasta with the provolone cheese.
- Bake the dish until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the pasta to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
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