Creamy Pasta Bake Recipe (French Gratin de Pâtes with Ham and Gruyère)
Creamy pasta bake recipe the French way: gratin de pâtes with ham, a silky crème fraîche béchamel and a golden Gruyère crust, ready in about 30 minutes.
This creamy pasta bake recipe is France's answer to a busy weeknight: gratin de pâtes, short pasta folded into a silky sauce with ham, covered in grated Gruyère and baked until the top is golden and bubbling. It is the dish French parents make when everyone is hungry and the fridge holds little more than pasta, milk, cheese and a few slices of jambon.
The name explains the method. A gratin is any dish finished in the oven with a browned crust, from the word "gratter", to scrape, because people used to scrape the crispy bits from the edge of the dish. "Pâtes" simply means pasta. Gratin de pâtes au jambon is a school-canteen and family classic, a cousin of the famous gratin dauphinois made with potatoes.
The secret to a truly creamy result is a sauce that stays loose. A quick béchamel of butter, flour and milk is enriched with crème fraîche and a grating of nutmeg, then thinned so it looks almost too runny. The pasta is boiled two minutes short of al dente, so it finishes cooking in the oven by soaking up some of that sauce instead of drying it out. Gruyère melts smoothly and browns well, giving the nutty, savoury crust.
Swaps are easy. Comté or Emmental work in place of Gruyère, and a little cheddar is fine if that is what you have. Use smoked lardons fried until crisp instead of ham, or leave the meat out and add sautéed mushrooms and spinach for a vegetarian version. Penne, macaroni, coquillettes or fusilli all hold the sauce well. For a lighter sauce, swap half the crème fraîche for more milk.
Serve the pasta bake straight from the oven with a green salad dressed in a sharp Dijon vinaigrette to cut the richness. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk. In France it is often eaten as a complete supper on its own, but it also sits happily next to roast chicken or a simple pan-fried sausage, and children usually ask for the crispy corner pieces first.
Watch how it is made on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/9GDgWdJuppE
Watch how it is made
Ingredients
- 400 g short pasta (penne, macaroni or coquillettes)
- 200 g cooked ham, dicedSubstitute: or crisp smoked lardons
- 40 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 600 ml whole milk
- 150 ml crème fraîcheSubstitute: or double cream
- 150 g Gruyère, gratedSubstitute: or Comté or Emmental
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 0.25 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley, to serve
Method
- Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 210°C (190°C fan) and rub the inside of a baking dish with the cut garlic clove, then butter it lightly.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet time, so it still has a firm bite. Drain and set aside.
- Make the roux. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the flour and whisk for 1 minute without letting it brown.
- Make the béchamel. Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it coats a spoon.
- Finish the sauce. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the crème fraîche, mustard, nutmeg, salt, pepper and half the Gruyère. It should look slightly runny; add a splash of milk if it is thick.
- Combine. Fold the pasta and diced ham into the sauce, then tip everything into the baking dish and level it.
- Add the cheese. Scatter the rest of the Gruyère evenly over the top.
- Bake. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is golden. Finish under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes for extra colour if you like.
- Rest and serve. Let the gratin stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, sprinkle with parsley and serve with a green salad.
A pasta bake turns dry when the pasta keeps drinking sauce in the oven, so always undercook the pasta and make the sauce looser than seems right. Grate the cheese yourself from a block; pre-grated cheese is coated with anti-caking starch and melts less smoothly. You can assemble the dish up to a day ahead: keep it covered in the fridge, add an extra splash of milk over the top and bake for about 10 minutes longer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep a pasta bake creamy and not dry?
Cook the pasta 2 minutes short of al dente, make the sauce slightly runny and do not overbake. The pasta absorbs liquid in the oven, so it needs extra sauce to stay creamy.
What is gratin de pâtes?
It is a French baked pasta dish of short pasta in béchamel or cream, usually with ham, topped with grated cheese and browned in the oven. It is a family and school-canteen favourite in France.
Which cheese is best for a creamy pasta bake?
Gruyère is the classic French choice because it melts smoothly and browns well. Comté and Emmental are close substitutes, and a little Parmesan on top adds extra crunch.
Can I make a pasta bake ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Pour a splash of milk over the top before baking and add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
Can I freeze pasta bake?
Yes, freeze baked and cooled portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 180°C with a little milk until hot in the middle.
Can I make this pasta bake without ham?
Yes. Leave out the ham and add sautéed mushrooms, spinach or roasted vegetables. It becomes vegetarian as long as your cheese is made with vegetarian rennet.
