Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Mix-ins
- 400 g elbow macaroni
- 300 g roasted ham, diced into 1cm cubes
- 250 g roma tomatoes, diced, seeds removed to prevent excess liquid
Cheese Sauce
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 750 ml whole milk, warm
- 200 g sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 150 g monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
- 3 g mustard powder
- 3 g garlic powder
- kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Crispy Topping
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 818 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 71 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 1497 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 23 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 96 mg
- Potassium
- 686 mg
- Calcium
- 612 mg
- Iron
- 4.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 86 mg
- Phosphorus
- 671 mg
- Zinc
- 5.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 298 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.19 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.80 mg
- Niacin
- 8.7 mg
- Folate
- 196 mcg
- Water
- 164 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190 C (375 F). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish lightly with butter or nonstick spray.
Bring heavily salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente.
Drain the pasta well in a colander and set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the 60g of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually whisk the warm whole milk into the roux, adding a little at a time to maintain a smooth mixture. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the grated sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheeses until completely melted and smooth. Stir in the mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Fold the drained macaroni, diced ham, and seeded diced tomatoes into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.
Transfer the macaroni mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a small mixing bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with the 30g of melted butter, then sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
Bake uncovered at 190 C (375 F) for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the panko topping is deep golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set up.
Chef's Notes
- Deseeding the tomatoes is critical. The extra water inside tomato cores will dilute the cheese sauce and break the emulsion during baking.
- Grating your own cheese from a block is essential for a silky sauce. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in cellulose to prevent clumping in the bag, which also prevents them from melting smoothly.
- Monterey Jack is an excellent melting cheese that provides the perfect gooey texture without overpowering the sharp tang of the cheddar.
- Warming the milk before adding it to the roux speeds up the sauce-making process and prevents temperature shock, reducing the risk of flour clumps.
- This dish is highly adaptable. Leftover holiday ham with a brown sugar glaze adds an incredibly complex sweet and savory dimension when used here.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store tightly covered or in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze in individual portions. The pasta texture will soften slightly upon thawing and reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C (350 F) oven until hot and bubbly, or microwave in 1-minute bursts, adding a splash of milk to re-emulsify the sauce.
Troubleshooting
Grainy or split cheese sauce
Cause: The sauce was too hot when the cheese was added, or pre-shredded cheese containing anti-caking agents was used.
Fix: Whisk vigorously off the heat; sometimes a small splash of cold milk or a teaspoon of sodium citrate dissolved in water can re-emulsify the sauce.
Prevention: Remove the pot entirely from the heat source before adding freshly grated block cheese.
Watery casserole after baking
Cause: Tomatoes retained too much moisture or were not seeded properly before adding.
Fix: Let the casserole sit for an extra 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the pasta absorbs excess liquid.
Prevention: Scoop out the watery seeds and jelly from the tomatoes, using only the firm outer flesh.
Cultural Context
Macaroni and cheese has its earliest roots in historic Italian and French casseroles, particularly dishes like macaroni pie, but it has evolved over centuries into a deeply iconic American comfort food. The inclusion of ingredients like ham and tomatoes reflects mid-20th-century home cooking traditions, where home cooks sought to stretch leftover Sunday roasts and garden yields into hearty, standalone weeknight dinners.
