Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake with Quark

Ben has always loved carbonara and other creamy pasta dishes, so this ham and cheese pasta bake is very much the sort of dinner that appeals to him. In fact, when I first made it he told me I should give the recipe to Jamie Oliver because it was that good. I suspect Jamie Oliver is managing perfectly well without my help, but I’ll take the compliment!

It’s an easy creamy pasta bake made with ham, mushrooms, red onion and plenty of cheese, with Quark helping to make the creamy sauce. Everything is mixed together, topped with Primula and then baked in the oven, so there’s nothing particularly complicated involved.

It makes six portions and takes around 50 minutes from start to finish, making it a handy family dinner when you fancy something creamy and cheesy without spending ages cooking.

Ingredients for ham and cheese pasta bake

For six portions you will need:

• 250g dry fusilli pasta
• 115g mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 250g Quark
• 1 mushroom stock pot
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 90g 50% less-fat Cheddar, grated
• 150g tube Primula Light
• 150g ham, chopped into small pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 300ml boiling water

It’s quite a simple list, although Quark is probably the ingredient people are most likely to have questions about if they haven’t cooked with it before.

What is Quark?

Quark is a soft dairy product that works really well in creamy recipes, particularly when you want something that will mix easily with other flavours.

It doesn’t have a particularly strong flavour of its own, which is useful here because the cheese, ham, mushroom stock, mustard and parsley provide most of the flavour.

You’ll usually find Quark in the chilled dairy or soft-cheese section of larger supermarkets.

If you buy a tub for this and then wonder what on earth you’re supposed to do with the rest of it, have a look at my Quark recipes because I’ve got plenty of other ideas for using it.

How to stop Quark splitting

Quark can split if it gets too hot, so this isn’t an ingredient I’d put into a saucepan over fierce heat and then wander off while I check Facebook!

For this recipe it’s mixed with the other ingredients before everything goes into the oven.

When you’re using Quark in other recipes, adding very hot liquid too quickly can cause problems too, so it’s worth being a little more gentle with it than you might be with some other creamy ingredients.

Even if you’re used to cooking with cream or cream cheese, don’t assume Quark will behave in exactly the same way.

How to make ham and cheese pasta bake

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Cook the fusilli according to the packet instructions, then drain it and set it aside.

While the pasta is cooking, make 300ml of stock using the mushroom stock pot and 300ml boiling water.

In a large bowl, mix together the Quark, beaten egg, red onion, mushrooms, chopped ham, dried parsley, mustard powder and grated Cheddar.

Add the stock and cooked pasta and mix everything together well.

Pour the mixture into a large ovenproof dish, then squeeze the Primula Light over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes and serve while it’s hot and creamy.

If you sometimes struggle to judge pasta before it goes into a pasta bake, my how to cook pasta guide has more tips. Remember that the pasta is getting another 30 minutes in the oven, so you don’t want to accidentally turn it to mush before it even gets there.

Can I make ham and cheese pasta bake with bacon?

Yes, although you’ll need to cook the bacon properly before adding it to the pasta bake rather than simply replacing the ready-to-eat ham with raw bacon.

Bacon will also give the finished dish a stronger and saltier flavour, which you may prefer if you love bacon pasta.

I’d taste and adjust things accordingly rather than automatically adding extra salt, particularly because you’ve already got cheese and stock in the recipe.

If creamy chicken and bacon pasta sounds even better, you might prefer my chicken and bacon carbonara instead.

Can I use a different cheese?

The recipe uses both grated Cheddar and Primula Light, so you get cheese mixed through the pasta as well as the Primula over the top.

You could experiment with another Cheddar if that’s what you normally buy, but remember that changing the cheese can change both the flavour and nutritional information.

I wouldn’t automatically swap the Primula for grated cheese because it isn’t doing quite the same job here. If you want to experiment then by all means do, but I haven’t tested every possible cheese combination so I can’t promise they’ll all give exactly the same creamy result.

Can I use Greek yoghurt instead of Quark?

I’ve actually been asked this in the comments before, and I haven’t tested this recipe using Greek yoghurt instead of Quark.

They aren’t identical ingredients and they can behave differently when heated, so I wouldn’t want to tell you it’ll definitely work when I haven’t tried it myself.

If you do experiment with a substitution, remember that you may not get exactly the same consistency as the recipe above.

Can I use a different stock?

The mushroom stock works particularly well because there are already mushrooms in the pasta bake.

If you can’t find mushroom stock, vegetable stock would be the alternative I’d be most tempted to try, although I haven’t tested the recipe with every different stock available.

Again, it’s worth remembering that different stock products can vary quite a lot in strength and saltiness.

Is this ham and cheese pasta bake Slimming World-friendly?

If you’re following Slimming World, I’d check the ingredients you’re using in the current Slimming World app rather than relying on an old Syn value for the complete recipe.

Products and plans change, and ingredients such as cheese and Primula are exactly the sort of things where I’d rather you check what you’re actually using than have me give you a number that may no longer be correct.

The recipe already uses 50% less-fat Cheddar and Primula Light because those are the ingredients it was created with. I wouldn’t start changing tested ingredients simply to try to make the recipe sound healthier.

If you’re looking for more ideas that might suit the way you’re following the plan, my Slimming World pasta recipes page has plenty to choose from.

What can I add to ham pasta bake?

There are already mushrooms and red onion in this recipe, but if you want more vegetables you could serve some alongside rather than feeling you have to cram everything into the pasta itself.

Broccoli would be lovely with a creamy ham and cheese pasta bake and peas would be another easy option.

If you decide to add vegetables directly to the recipe, think about whether they need cooking first and whether they’re likely to release lots of water. Adding a huge quantity of watery vegetables can change the consistency of a creamy pasta bake.

What to serve with ham and cheese pasta bake

This makes six portions, so you can quite happily serve it as it is if that’s enough for you.

I like vegetables with creamy pasta, particularly broccoli, peas or green beans, because they work well with ham and cheese.

Garlic bread would also be very nice because garlic bread and pasta are one of those combinations I will never pretend not to like!

You don’t need to serve a special “diet” side just because you’re trying to lose weight. Choose something that works with the rest of what you’re eating and that you’ll actually enjoy.

Can I make ham pasta bake ahead?

You can do some of the preparation ahead, but because the sauce contains Quark and egg I’d make sure the prepared ingredients are refrigerated appropriately if you’re not baking the dish straight away.

I’d also avoid overcooking the pasta initially because it’s going to spend another 30 minutes in the oven.

Personally, pasta bake is one of those meals where I’d rather get everything ready and then bake it fairly soon afterwards, particularly with a creamy sauce like this.

Can I reheat ham and cheese pasta bake?

If you have leftovers, cool and refrigerate them promptly and reheat them thoroughly before eating.

Creamy pasta sauces aren’t always quite as lovely reheated as they are straight from the oven, and the pasta can absorb more of the sauce while it’s sitting in the fridge, so don’t be surprised if the texture changes a little.

I’d divide leftovers into individual portions so you only reheat what you actually want.

Can you freeze ham and cheese pasta bake?

You can freeze many pasta bakes, but I’m a little more cautious about promising perfect results with this one because Quark-based sauces can change texture after freezing and defrosting.

If you decide to freeze it, I’d try a portion rather than making a double batch specifically for the freezer before you know whether you’re happy with the result.

Sometimes the fact that something can technically be frozen doesn’t necessarily mean it’s at its best afterwards!

Ham and cheese pasta bake FAQs

Can I use leftover ham?

If you have cooked ham that needs using, this can be a handy recipe for it. Make sure the ham has been stored safely and is still within the appropriate storage time rather than using this recipe as an excuse to rescue something that’s been lurking in the fridge for rather too long!

Can I make this without mushrooms?

You could leave the mushrooms out if you don’t like them, although remember that the recipe also uses mushroom stock. If you dislike mushrooms completely, you may want to experiment with vegetable stock instead.

What pasta is best for ham pasta bake?

I use fusilli because it mixes nicely with the creamy sauce, ham and vegetables. Another similar short pasta shape should work if that’s what you’ve got.

Why does my Quark split?

Quark doesn’t respond particularly well to excessive heat and can split, especially if very hot liquid is added too quickly. Treat it a little more gently than you would some other creamy ingredients.

Can I make this into a ham and broccoli pasta bake?

Broccoli should work well with the flavours, although I haven’t tested a specific ham and broccoli variation with quantities and cooking times. I’d be inclined to serve broccoli alongside it the first time rather than altering the tested recipe.

More healthy pasta bake recipes

If you love an easy pasta bake, have a look through my healthy pasta bake recipes for plenty more family dinner ideas.

My pepperoni pizza pasta bake is completely different but equally cheesy, while the chicken fajita pasta bake is another easy option if you fancy something with chicken.

You can also browse all my pasta recipes for salads, tomato-based dishes, creamy pasta and lots more.

Ben still rates this ham and cheese pasta bake very highly. I’m not entirely convinced Jamie Oliver is waiting for me to send it over, but if your family enjoys it as much as Ben does, I’ll be happy with that!

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