Ham & Mac Bake

This casserole pulls off a combination that sounds unusual but works beautifully: ham, macaroni, and sliced apples in a mustard-spiked white sauce with brown sugar. It’s the kind of sweet-and-savory pairing that makes leftover ham feel like a brand new meal.

The sauce starts as a basic roux (butter, flour, milk) but the brown sugar and prepared mustard shift it into something closer to a honey mustard glaze. That sauce coats the pasta, the cubed ham, and the apple slices, which soften in the oven and release their juice into the dish.

A crunchy bread crumb topping tossed in melted butter goes on last. It bakes into a golden, crispy lid that cracks when you dig in.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the macaroni just until al dente. It continues cooking in the oven for another 35 minutes. Fully cooked pasta turns to mush in a casserole.
• Slice the apples thin. Thick wedges won’t soften enough during baking. Thin slices melt into the sauce and create pockets of sweetness throughout.
• Use sharp or Dijon mustard if you want more bite. Prepared yellow mustard is mild and blends in. A spicier mustard stands up better to the brown sugar.
• Let it rest 5 minutes out of the oven before serving. The sauce thickens as it cools slightly and clings to the pasta better.

Variations

• Cheddar ham mac: Stir in a cup of shredded sharp cheddar to the white sauce for a cheesier version.
• Pear swap: Use ripe pears instead of apples for a softer, more delicate sweetness.
• Crispy panko topping: Replace the bread crumbs with panko for an extra crunchy, shatteringly crisp crust.