Description
A comforting and creamy Easy Mac and Cheese Soup made with elbow macaroni, savory ham, and a blend of flavorful ingredients. This hearty soup is perfect for using leftover ham and can be customized with optional veggies like carrots and peas for added nutrition and color.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 ½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni shells (small, dry shells; may use any smaller pasta shape and/or replace with whole wheat or gluten free shells)
- 1 cup carrots, diced small (optional)
- 1 cup peas (optional, frozen or fresh)
Base and Flavorings
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus a little more for flour
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
- 1 small yellow onion, diced or grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 quart chicken broth or stock
- 1 ½ cups half and half
Cheese and Protein
- 1 lb whole milk white American cheese, shredded or diced (usually found in the deli section)
- 1 cup ham, diced (leftover or other smoked meats)
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste, start with ½ teaspoon and work up)
- Black pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil the elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta well and set aside while you prepare the soup base.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: In a large soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced or grated onion and, if using, diced carrots. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft and caramelized, imparting a rich flavor to the soup.
- Create Roux: If needed, add an additional tablespoon of butter to the pot and melt it. Stir in the flour and Dijon mustard, continuously stirring for about 1 minute to cook the flour and combine flavors.
- Add Liquids and Heat: Slowly pour in the chicken broth and half and half while stirring to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is steaming and slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. If you prefer a very smooth texture, use an immersion blender directly in the pot or transfer to a blender and process in batches until smooth.
- Melt Cheese and Combine: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the shredded white American cheese until it is fully melted and the soup is creamy. Be careful not to let the soup boil at this stage to prevent curdling.
- Finish Soup: Stir in the cooked macaroni and diced ham. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 4-5 minutes until everything is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt (about 1 teaspoon kosher salt total) and black pepper as desired. For extra freshness and color, stir in peas just before serving.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free pasta and substitute regular flour with gluten free flour.
- Leftover ham is ideal for this recipe, but smoked sausage or bacon can be substituted for different smoky flavors.
- Adding peas at the end keeps them bright and fresh, avoid adding them too early to prevent overcooking.
- For a smoother texture, blend the soup base before adding the cheese and pasta.
- Use whole milk white American cheese for the authentic creamy texture and flavor of the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
