This Cheesy Pasta Bake has everything in it that you want in a dinner. A little bit of meat, pasta and a whole lot of cheese! Perfect for weeknight dinners!

We eat a lot of pasta around our house. We used to eat it three to four times a week because let’s face it, pasta is cheap to buy and can feed a herd like mine! Well we have cut back to only once or twice a week with eating pasta. So when we do get to eat it, it needs to be fabulous!

I have been seeing a lot of pasta bakes around the internet and I knew I wanted to give it a try. We have made this particular one about four times now over the last few months. It is definitely a family favorite. The kids love it because it is loaded with ham, pepperoni and lots and lots of cheese! I even have a cream sauce that I use to mix into it as well to keep it from being dry. There are a few steps to making this but they are all worth it when you have a delicious hot meal popping out of the oven! ENJOY!

Cheesy Pasta Bake

Cheese, ham and pepperoni mixed with a cream sauce that creates a delicious dinner for everyone to enjoy!

Course Dinner

Servings 6

Author Nancy P. (The Bitter Side of Sweet)

Ingredients

1 16 ounce box penne
sea salt
1 16 ounce mexican shredded cheese
1 cup deli style ham chopped
1 cup pepperoni chopped
FOR THE CREAM SAUCE:
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups of warm milk
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

Prepare 9x13 glass baking dish by spraying with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Preheat over to 400 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sea salt and penne and cook for 10-12 minutes or till al dente.
While the pasta cooks in a medium size sauce pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoons of butter and melt. Whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in milk and continue to stir till thick.
Add nutmeg and salt, stir and set aside.
When pasta is done, drain and return to pot.
In baking dish layer half pasta on the bottom. Cover with 1/2 cup of ham, 1/2 cup pepperoni, half cream sauce and 8 ounces of cheese.
Repeat second layer with remaining pasta, ham, pepperoni, cream sauce and cheese.
Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Remove from oven, cook for 5 minutes and ENJOY!