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Cavatappi Mac And Cheese (With Ham!)
Cheesy, gooey and delicious, this cavatappi mac and cheese is the ultimate cozy dinner or side dish. Perfect to bring to a potluck, and a great way to use leftover ham, you'll also love that the corkscrew shaped noodles cook right in the cheesy sauce to save you a step!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
56 mins
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 330 kcal
Course:
Side Dish , Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta corkscrew also called cellentani
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese 1 cups shredded from a block
- 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese 1 cup shredded from a block
- 16 ounces ham can use ham steak or about 2 cups diced ham
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Prepare a large 9x13 casserole dish by spraying generously with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Shred the cheddar cheese and the Monterey Jack cheese. Chop the ham into bite sized pieces. Add the ham and the shredded cheese to the uncooked pasta and mix in the pan.
- Place a medium sized pot on the stove with the butter over medium heat and melt the butter. Add paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the melted butter.
- Place the flour into the butter and mix with a whisk. Continue whisking continuously for one minute over the heat using a timer.
- Slowly add the milk and water to the pan while stirring. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then turn down the heat to keep the mixture simmering. Keep stirring occasionally, simmering for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the uncooked pasta and ham in the casserole dish.
- Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until when tested the pasta is cooked through. Allow the pasta to sit out of the oven for at least 15 minutes or until the sauce finished thickening, then serve and enjoy. The sauce may look a little liquidy when you first take it out of the oven, but the pasta will continue to finish soaking up the liquid while resting.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- I don't recommend using pre-shredded cheese for this recipe, as it can make the creamy sauce more clumpy. Preshredded cheese has extra ingredients to keep it from clumping which can also make your mac and cheese too thick. Instead shred the cheese from a block for the best results.
Nutrition Information
Calories
330kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
33g
(11%)
Protein
19g
(38%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
Trans Fat
0.2g
Cholesterol
50mg
(17%)
Sodium
758mg
(32%)
Potassium
310mg
(9%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
348IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
12mg
(13%)
Calcium
221mg
(22%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 330
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 330kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 33g | 11% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 50mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 758mg | 32% |
| Potassium | 310mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 348IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 221mg | 22% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.