Nudelauflauf (German Noodle Casserole)
The German version of a comfort classic.
There are so many cultures that have some version of a pasta casserole and it’s a great thing, because no matter where it comes from, a pasta casserole is a delicious answer to a comfort food craving. Nudelauflauf is the German version. Translating to “German Noodle Casserole,” there are a million different ways to make it, but this ham and cheese version always hits the spot.
What Ingredients Are in German Noodle Casserole?
This is a pretty simple casserole! You’ll need:
- Egg noodles. (Though really any short pasta will work.)
- Butter.
- Diced ham.
- Milk, cream, or half and half. (Or a combo of the three.)
- Onion.
- Eggs.
- Nutmeg.
- Swiss cheese.
How Do You Make German Noodle Casserole?
There’s a little bit of stovetop work, but mostly the oven takes care of the rest.
While you boil the noodles, you’ll sauté some ham and onion in some butter. Then you simply stir that into the drained noodles, along with the milk, eggs, nutmeg, and half of the cheese, and it heads into a casserole dish to bake.
You’ll want to cover the dish in foil for the first part of the baking time. After a half hour, you uncover the casserole, top it with the other half of the cheese, and let it bake just long enough to get bubbly and golden brown on top.
How Does it Taste?
It’s comforting, it’s classic, it’s just hearty enough. I love the combination of ham and Swiss together, always, and here it’s supported by chewy, comforting egg noodles. There’s just a whole lot to love about it!
Nudelauflauf (German Noodle Casserole)
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 oz cooked ham steak, diced
- 1/2 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups milk, half and half, or heavy cream (or a combination)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups Swiss or Emmental cheese, grated
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain, return noodles to pot, and set aside.
- While noodles cook, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the ham and onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and ham has browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot of drained noodles.
- Add milk or cream, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and half of the cheese to the pot. Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover baking dish, top with remaining cheese, and continue baking until top is bubbly and golden, about 15 minutes more.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from https://mission-food.com/schinkennudeln-german-ham-and-cheese-noodle-casserole/