Every French kid (and adults 😊) knows Coquillettes au Jambon – our version of mac & cheese with ham, and I am not the exception. Proper homestyle cooking right there, simple and comforting. A regular at our dinner table, j’adore! Allez, let’s go!
Nagi's Notes
I wouldn’t serve up my Baked Mac and Cheese and call it dinner. But this, I do! The sauce here is key. I know it looks like any regular béchamel, but it’s not – it’s thinner, almost like a light cream sauce, rather than the rich cheese sauces we’re used to. And the ham bits! Such a simple little thing but it changes everything – little pops of salty flavour, and it gently flavours the whole sauce. I’m besotted!
French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham (Coquillettes au Jambon)
If you’ve spent a bit of time in France, you’ll know this one. Coquillettes au Jambon is the French way of doing mac & cheese. The kind of dish that shows up at the family table without effort, just a big pot in the middle and everyone helping themselves. It was always a winner at our house.
Unlike the Western-style mac and cheese that’s richer with a thicker sauce, this one is a bit different. The sauce here is more delicate, but still full of flavour. It starts with a béchamel quickly turned into a Mornay (yes! just like my Cheese Soufflé) thanks to the Gruyère and its subtle nuttiness, plus some ham to make more substantial. Very comforting without being too rich. You will go back for another bowl and still feel good after!
Ingredients in French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
Everything you need to give mac & cheese a bit of style. Same, same but French.
Pasta – The classic pasta is elbow pasta or macaroni, though you can use any short pasta shape you want that will hold onto the sauce.
Gruyere cheese – Gruyère is my first choice here for its flavour, but there’s room to adapt. Comté is the closest alternative if you can find it, though it can be a bit pricey. Otherwise, Swiss-style cheeses like Emmental work really well. If those aren’t available, go for a good melting cheese such as Cheddar, Tasty or Monterey Jack. If you’re using a milder cheese, add a small handful of finely grated parmesan at the end to boost the flavour and bring back some of that nutty note you’d usually get from Gruyère.
Ham – Here I just use ham off the bone slices from the deli then chop it up. You can also go for smoked ham to bring a deeper flavour, or use leftover roast ham if you have some on hand.
Butter and flour – These make the roux which thickens the milk to become the béchamel sauce and then the Mornay.
Milk – It’s best to use full fat if you can, though you can really use any type. I use HOT milk because it helps it blend smoothly into the roux, preventing lumps and keeping the sauce silky.
Nutmeg – A little pinch is included in classic Béchamel, but it’s ok if you skip it. Freshly grated is best for best flavour that really lifts the sauce but pre-ground works fine too.
How to make French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
I always cook the pasta first then make the sauce in the same pot afterwards, then combine them together. But if you want to speed things up, you could cook them in separate pots at the same time.
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
Save water – Just before drawing, scoop out 1 cup (or more!) of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Then drain and lightly rinse the pasta under tap water to prevent it from clumping while you make the sauce.
Roux – Melt the butter in the used pot over medium heat. Then add the flour and stir, it will look thick and pasty at first. Whisk regularly for about 2 minutes until it becomes loose. Make sure to scrape into the corners of the pan and don’t let it brown. Reduce heat if you think it’s too high.
Bechamel sauce – Add half of the hot milk to the roux while whisking vigorously, it will thicken very quickly. Once smooth, slowly pour in the remaining milk while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
Add cheese and stir until melted. Keep the pot on the stove but whisk well to make sure the base is not catching. You just made a Mornay Sauce!
Add ham and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until combined and silky.
Add pasta – Bring the sauce to a simmer and add pasta back to the pot. and stir until they are fully coated.
Combine and serve – Stir until the pasta are fully coated. Serve right away while hot.
How to serve French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
Serve straight away while it’s hot and creamy, that’s when it really shines. It’s rich enough to stand on its own, but if you like, you can balance it with something fresh on the side. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette works perfectly, or lightly dressed greens with a squeeze of lemon. For something a bit more substantial, add broccoli, green beans or you can even stir through a handful of peas at the end. And a piece of crusty bread on the side is always a good idea to mop up every last bit of that sauce.
And there you have it, a simple bowl of comfort, satisfying and hard to beat to my opinion. Grab a fork (or a spoon!), dig in and enjoy! Bon appétit! – JB
FAQ – Coquillettes au Jambon
This dish relies heavily on dairy for both flavour and texture, so it’s not the easiest to convert. That said, you can try using lactose-free or plant-based butter, milk and cheese alternatives. Just keep in mind the result won’t be quite as rich or smooth, and some dairy-free cheeses don’t melt as well, which can affect the sauce.
Yes. Use your favourite gluten-free pasta and replace the flour in the roux with a gluten-free plain flour. The method stays the same—just whisk well to keep the sauce smooth
It’s best made and served straight away. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, making it thicker and less creamy. If you really want to make it ahead, you can reheat it gently with a splash of milk or saved pasta water to loosen it.
Coquillettes / elbow pasta or macaroni are the classic choice, but any similar pasta shapes that holds onto the sauce will work well here.
Watch How To Make It
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Coquillettes au Jambon – French Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
Ingredients
- 500g / 1 lb elbow pasta / macaroni , but any similar size pasta would work
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , for pasta water, half for table salt
- 200g / 7 oz ham slices (I use ham off-the-bone), diced 1cm / 0.4" (Note 1)
CHEESE SAUCE (MORNAY SAUCE)
- 75g / 5tbsp tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk , HOT, full fat preferred, but work with lite milk too
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , halve for table salt, +50% for flakes
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg , (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated , shredded using a standard box grater (tightly packed if using cups) (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup pasta cooking water
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE:
- Cook pasta per packet directions, scoop out 1 cup of water just before draining. In the same pot, melt butter, cook flour 2 min. Whisk in milk. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg, stir in cheese until melted. Stir in ham, then 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Toss with pasta until coated, serve.
FULL RECIPE:
- Cook pasta – Bring a large pot of water and salt to the boil. Cook pasta according to packet instructions. I always like to give a few stirs at the beginning so they don't stick to each other.
- Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and give the pasta brief rinse under cold water. Set aside and keep the pot for the sauce.
CHEESE SAUCE / MORNAY SAUCE
- Make roux – Using the pasta pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. At first it will look like thick and pasty then it will loosen to become a smooth, glossy paste. Make sure to use the whisk to get into the corners of the pot and don’t let it brown, reduce heat if needed.
- Adding milk – Add half of the hot milk to the roux while whisking vigorously, it will thicken very quickly. Once smooth, slowly pour in the remaining milk while continuing to whisk. Keep whisking for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps. It should be thick enough that you can draw a path with a spatula through the middle, holding its shape briefly before slowly sinking back. (Note 4)
- Season – Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Add cheese and ham – Stir in Gruyère cheese and whisk until fully melted. You just made a Mornay sauce! Then stir in the ham with a wooden spoon.
- Finish sauce – Pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir until silky. Bring back to a simmer. It will be quite runny, it will thicken when the pasta is added.
- Combine – Add drained pasta and stir well until fully coated, the sauce will thicken slightly and cling to the macaroni. Add more pasta water if the sauce gets too thick.
- Serve immediately while hot and creamy. I like to grind extra black pepper on top just before eating. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
In Memory of Dozer
Dozer and me at a bookstore, not long after the release of Nagi’s first cookbook. We’re both looking pretty pleased with ourselves. 😂 He insisted on coming along to check how he looked in that prawn photo… had to make sure he was looking his best, obviously! ♥️🦮
Sensational good, Made it yesterday, blown away, what a great taste.
What’s with all these really intrusive ads all the way through your write-up??
Sooo annoying!!
Ooooh. Very good… 🙂
Made this tonight. Wow it’s delicious. The best bit is that the sauce doesn’t go gluggy when it cools down a bit. It stays silky and smooth. Added some baby spinach leaves because I had to use them up. Fantastic JB thank you for this recipe 😀
No worries Jen! I’m glad it was a hit!!
This Mac and cheese recipe is so timely JB. This time next week we are flying to France, to Montpellier to visit our son and grandchildren and I know I will end up doing some cooking when not dining out. They will love this, and I can use Gruyère. I’ve made a lot of macaroni cheese over the years, but this one of yours is special. Thankyou. Cheers, Pauline
Thank you so much for your kind comment Pauline. I’m sure you’ll have such a good time in France visiting. Spending time with family is a blessing. ♥️
I bought that book you’re holding JB! Love ya, Dozer and Nagi, your all great! Losing a loved one is so hard. I’ve had three rotties that all passed away (well had to be put down) as they all had hip dysplasia, But back to the dish, I’ll say this, JB, YOU’VE DONE IT AGAIN!
Thank you Steve and I’m sorry to hear about your dogs. It’s always so hard to say goodbye..
Beautiful recipe, thanks so much. But I . .. what can I say . .. . I just had to look till I found the lovely picture of you and Dozer. Thanks for posting the lovely photograph. Dozer must be the most missed dog on this Earth — and I truly hope that you and Nagi have caught of glimpse of him in spirit — I am not kidding when I tell you that I have seen and, or heard most of my beloved pets after they passed over, sometimes many many months afterwards. If it happens to me, it can happen to you too I sure hope so!
Hi Nadine, thank you for your kind words and I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe. Dozer really is deeply missed..
Delicious. Love the silky, smooth, and creamy sauce which takes it to the next level. (I added a touch of Dijon mustard.) The best is it’s all cooked up in one pot. A great new addition to my pasta repertoire. Thanks Chef JB.
Dijon mustard is a lovely touch Brenda! Thank you for making it!
There is no video with this recipe and one or two before.
I live in France and enjoy JB’s recipes though i have to add fried chopped onions with my pasta.
Thanks for commenting Mike! The videos are working, it must be a glitch. have you tries opening it using a different browser?
Bechamel shcechamel. My Grandkids LOVED this version of “Mac and cheese” and they didn’t ask if it was truly a french version!!!! Thanks
Thanks for making it so quick Coco! I really appreciate it 🙂
Coquillettes au jambon … my grandkids’favourite whenever they came over for the weekend !
But… we still and always fall for coquillettes, 😋👍!!!
And for dessert… pommes au four !
Thank you for the recipe… so delicious coquillettes !
You are welcome Adeline! I’m not surprised it’s your grandkids’s favourite 🙂 So good!
Please keep posting memories of Dozer. They make my day!
Will always do! Thanks Pam!
Great recipe! Gruyere is my favorite cheese! Great photo of you and Dozer!
Thanks Barb!!
I love seeing Dozer he will be forever missed. Do we have any updates you can share about another cookbook maybe? I’m already ready for another one, just made the Normandy Pork Chops last night, so yummy. Thanks JB, Thanks Nagi!
Hi Rachel, no firm news on another cookbook just yet. 🙂 So glad you enjoyed the Normandy Pork Chops, that’s a good one!
Thanks for the update Chef Jb! I can’t wait to make this recipe!
Hi Chef JB,
Another winner.🏅
I bet the sauce from this dish would be super delicious over cauliflower, trying it tonight. I’ve made your Coquilles Saint Jacques several times too & your Mushroom béchamel is yummy goes with so many other dishes. Also very much enjoy your Dozer memoirs. We had a Siberian husky for 14 years which was way longer than huskies usually live, he was a beautiful faithful companion It’s awesome that Dozers being included in posts. Many thanks for sharing both your recipes & memories.
Hi Carol, thank you so much, I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes! You are right, that sauce over cauliflower will be spot on. Thank you for sharing about your husky, 14 years is amazing. And I appreciate you cooking along with me.
JB, as usual this recipe sounds so good! I love the lighter cheese flavor for it and as always, your directions and tips make it so easy. Can’t wait to try it. And still sending love to you, Nagi and everyone else there that still love, miss and share Dozer and his pictures and memories with all of us that loved him too. He was so special and I know he loved all of you so much. Thanks for taking such good care of him!
Thank you for your lovely words about Dozer Kathy 🙂
Yum… I would eat that, also with lots of freshly ground black pepper at the end. I always heat the milk too, makes a glossier sauce and just speeds up the process hugely, great tip to share ~THANKS! ♡
Thank you Susan! Please let me know when you try it 🙂
I am truly fed up with ‘chefs’ promoting ‘bechamel sauce’ as being purely a ‘white sauce’. Bechamel is when various veggies, herbs and seasoning are placed in the milk. The milk brought almost up to the boil, then the veg and herbs left to steep for at least 30 minutes if not longer. Now THAT will give you a BECHAMEL SAUCE – what you are promoting is purely WHITE SAUCE which is not the same.
Please don’t be rude, and please do research before posting. The sauce you are referencing sounds delicious but it’s not how bechamel is normally made. If you Google bechamel sauce and it’s ingredients you will find that in fact it is also known as white sauce and is as simple as butter, flour, milk with seasonings such as salt, pepper and nutmeg.
In classical French cuisine, béchamel (one of the sauces mères) is simply a white roux + milk, usually seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg (I’m French and that’s one of the first sauce I learned how to cook!)
Infusing the milk with onion, bay, etc. is a lovely refinement some chefs use for extra depth, but it’s not required for it to be called béchamel. The name “White sauce” is essentially the English/general term for béchamel.
Also worth noting Chef JB is an actual chef who trained and worked in Michelin-starred kitchens in France and internationally, so his definition is very much aligned with classical French technique.
The cojones displayed here, to criticize classically trained chefs on what béchamel sauce is supposed to be, while also being so thoroughly wrong in the understanding of what the sauce actually is, is just mind blowing! Herbs and vegetables simmered in milk!?!!?!! 🤯🤣
Will definitely try it
Thank you Indre! Can’t wait for the feedback 🙂
I never knew this had a fancy French name. I’ve been making this with smoked sausage instead of ham for years. We just call it sausage noodles, lol. I look forward to making your version!
Hi Julie, smoked sausage sounds inviting, yum! Thank you for commenting 🙂