This Mac and Cheese with Green Onions and Ham recipe is another great addition to my collection of Gourmet Mac & Cheese Recipes.
I had a bunch of ham leftover from when I made my Brown Sugar Glaze for Ham recipe a while back and decided to use some of it in a Mac & Cheese.
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I like to use Italian Blend Cheese for this recipe but you can use whatever you have on hand. A nice White Cheddar Cheese would be a good substitute if you don’t have access to Italian Blend Cheese.
If you’ve ever wondered what part of the pig Ham comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?
Since I used Italian Blend Cheese for this Mac & Cheese recipe, I also used Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs since I had some in the pantry. You can use regular bread crumbs or panko if you have either one of those on hand.
What is Al Dente
When making Mac and Cheese, it’s important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term “al dente”, it means cooking the pasta so it’s still chewy and form and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Mac & Cheese with green onions and ham recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Unsalted Butter, All Purpose Flour, Milk, Pasta, Dijon Mustard, Salt, White Pepper, Italian Blend Cheese, Ham, Green Onions and Bread Crumbs.
How to Make Mac and Cheese with Green Onions and Ham
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gradually add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Raise the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 cups of milk, whisking occasionally to prevent lumping. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the butter to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- Add the mustard to the white sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and mix until melted. Add the ham and green onions and mix again.
- Add the white sauce to the pasta and combine thoroughly. Place the pasta and cheese mixture in a baking dish.
- In a small skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add the bread crumbs and fry, stirring constantly until lightly toasted.
- Scatter the bread crumbs over the top of the pasta. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is browned and bubbling.
Mac and Cheese with Green Onions and Ham
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Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 3 Cups Milk
- 1 lb Pasta
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- Salt, to taste
- White Pepper, to taste
- 8 oz Italian Blend Cheese, shredded
- ½ lb Ham, diced
- 1 Green Onions, diced
- 1 Cups Bread Crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gradually add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Raise the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 cups of milk, whisking occasionally to prevent lumping. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to directions on the package. Drain, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the butter to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- Add the mustard to the white sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cheese and stir to mix. Add the ham and green onions and mix again.
- Add the white sauce to the macaroni and combine thoroughly. Place pasta and cheese mixture in a baking dish.
- In a small skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add the bread crumbs and fry, stirring constantly until lightly toasted.
- Scatter the bread crumbs over the top of the pasta. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is browned and bubbling.
A very tasty Mac and cheese and the crunchy topping makes it even better. The ham gives it that extra taste that makes this dish excellent.
A very tasty Mac and cheese and the crunchy topping makes it even better. The ham gives it that extra taste that makes this dish excellent.